An elderly man died in a house fire in ward 8 of Bigu Rural Municipality of Dolakha district on Wednesday morning.

According to the police, 84-year-old Khadka Bahadur Shrestha died after his tin-roofed shop caught on fire at around 3am on Wednesday. He had been living alone in the shop.

The inferno engulfed the store and destroyed property worth Rs400,000, police said.

The reason for the fire is yet to be ascertained. Further investigation into the matter is underway.