'Recluse' who lived by candlelight killed in Melbourne house fire

A man who died in a Melbourne house fire has been described as a recluse who kept to himself and lived without electricity.

The 53-year-old’s body was discovered this afternoon after authorities were altered to the blaze in Vista Crescent, Rowville.

After extinguishing the fire, emergency services found the body at the back of the single-storey brick house.

Firefighters said there was no electricity connected in the house and neighbours said the man “lived by candlelight”.

“He was a gentleman that lived in the house on his own, kept to himself. At times you didn’t even know he was there,” Lynette Ponniah said.

Authorities will investigate whether candles were a contributing factor to the deadly blaze.

“We don’t know the cause of the fire, but we have been advised he used candles.

“So people, when using those sorts of items, should always be aware that they need to be accompanying them at all times,” Colin Brown from the Country Fire Authority said.