Top detective says "no third party involvement" in Bussandri fire death (From Wandsworth Guardian)

Top detective says "no third party involvement" in Bussandri fire death

5:30pm Friday 15th February 2013 in News

A senior detective has said he believes there was "no third party involvement" in the death of retired Italian businessman Adriano Bussandri last week.

DCI John MacFarlane said he had conducted "extensive enquiries" with scientists and fire experts and concluded Mr Bussandri had suffered self-inflicted wounds.

He said: "I am now satisfied the seat of the fire was the upper floor of the house in the immediate vicinity of a portable hob unit which was plugged in."

Mr Bussandri, 51, from Holroyd Road, Putney, was found dead in his property after a blaze ripped through his three-storey house in the early hours of February 8.

Detectives initially launched a murder investigation on Sunday after deciding the evidence pointed to a suspicious death.

The investigation sparked grave concern in the community that a well-liked man could be murdered in such as fashion.

A post mortem supposedly revealed Mr Bussandri had "multiple injuries inflicted by a sharp object".

His body was found at the address and a subsequent post-mortem examination at St George's Hospital mortuary gave cause of death as smoke inhalation.

Mr Bussandri made his money as founder of petrol company Harvest Energy Ltd.