Man found dead inside Sydney roof

A man who died in the roof cavity of an abandoned building in Sydney is believed to have been electrocuted.

The 39-year-old, who was not an electrician, was found at the Panania home on Sunday night with a ladder and tools.

It was a public housing home and authorities are trying to work out why he was there, a police spokesman told AAP on Monday.

Initial inquiries indicate the man, who is yet to be identified, may have been electrocuted after cutting a live wire.