VANCOUVER — A laptop computer that burst into flames after being left on a couch is to blame for a Vancouver man’s death, prompting a public warning from the British Columbia Coroners Service not to leave the devices on soft furniture.

The 56-year-old man became the first British Columbian to die from a laptop fire earlier this year, when he plugged the device in and left it running on his sofa. The laptop caught fire 50 minutes later and his residence was soon engulfed.

The Coroners Service announced its findings Wednesday following a lengthy investigation.

“The report confirmed that the laptop was the source of the fire,” said Jeff Dolan, a Coroners Service spokesman.

“It was placed on furniture with a soft fabric surface and (investigators) were able to trace the fire back to that exact spot.”

Ideally it can be placed on a cooling pad.