Former mayor, found charred in his house. A passerby noticed the fire and alerted the fire department
Fire engine, Photo: Inquam Photos / Octav Ganea
The former mayor of Roșiori commune in Brăila county, Neculai Soceanu, 64 years old, was charred to death on Friday morning in a fire that broke out in his own home, according to Agerpres.
The fire was reported around 4:40 a.m., and two special fire trucks of the Dudești Work Station intervened on the scene, ISU Brăila announced.
“From the call received by the Inspectorate Dispatcher, it was announced that the owner, who lived alone, was in the house. When they arrived at the scene of the intervention, the fire was at the level of the roof, and in one of the rooms the owner, aged 64, was found dead. They burned the roof of the house on an area of approx. 60 sq.m. and the goods in two rooms and a hall. The fire was noticed late, which led to the spread of the fire and in the rooms”, ISU Brăila transmitted.
According to the cited source, the likely cause of the fire was the unrepaired chimney with cracks at the level of the bridge.
The mayor of Roșiori commune, Nicușor Crețu, said that the former mayor had been living alone since the death of his wife and was facing a severe form of depression.
“Someone on his way to work at 4:30 in the morning noticed smoke coming out and alerted the ISU. Unfortunately, the former mayor was found charred in the house. He lived alone, since his wife died, he fell into a great depression and never recovered. The depression got worse, and lately he was being looked after by two girls. From what I understand, the fire started from the chimney, the bridge caught fire and it would have fallen the ceiling above him. There is nothing left intact in the room he slept in,” Crețu declared.
Neculai Soceanu was mayor of Roșiori commune for five terms, from the Social Democratic Party.
In 2023, his mandate ended early, after being on medical leave for a longer period than the law allows, according to Emergency Ordinance no. 57/2019 regarding the Administrative Code.
The Prefect of Brăila County, Iulian Timofei, then issued the order to terminate the mandate, based on a report submitted by the secretary of the commune, which found the impossibility of exercising the function for medical reasons for more than six months in a calendar year.
