A homeless man died after a concrete hut caught fire in the early hours of yesterday.

The victim has not been formally identified, but the family of Maxwell (Buckshot) Brangman, a 57-year-old grandfather, say they are certain it was him.

Mr.Brangman, a well-known character who hardly ever left St. David's and helped out at the local cricket club, used to spend much of his time in the shelter at Burcher's Point, behind the Black Horse Tavern.

Police and fire are investigating and foul play has not been ruled out, but Mr. Brangman's family say the victim was a smoker who used to read by candlelight, suggesting the blaze started accidentally.

His remains were discovered by fire fighters who tackled the fire at about 5.30 a.m.

Mr. Brangman's family yesterday paid tribute to the man they described as a joker who used to do odd jobs for people and served in Jamaica with BermudaRegiment.

His sister Lana Flood told The Royal Gazette:"He lived his life the way he wanted to.

"He lived at that place all summer until it got too cold, then he would find somewhere warmer

."He didn't want anyone to take him in or anything like that. As long as he was in St. David's, he was at home. St. David's was his home. "He had the right idea.

"He always used to say to me: 'No money, no bills'."

Police say forensic tests must be carried out before they can formally identify the body, but Mrs. Flood said:"If it wasn't him, he would have been around there trying to find out what had happened to his house."And at 2.30 he would have been down at St. David's Cricket Club."

Mr. Brangman worked for several years as a road sweeper in St. David's, and on the trucks for the Corporation of St. George's.

Lately he would mow people's lawns, with Mrs. Flood joking:"He would do anything you needed doing, but he had the best knee in the world."He would say the knee would give up on him any time he had to do some work.

I can see him now, holding his knee."Devastated daughter Sereana Brangman said:"He always had a joke to tell."He had a nickname for everybody of course I was his Princess and my two daughters were Precious and Pumpkin."

Black Horse manager Judy Williams said:"He's a friend of all of us. We're all family here."I don't know what's happened but everyone here is very upset. He was really a nice man."Let's hope it was an accident.

He wasn't a harmful person he was very helpful and very peaceful."St. David's Cricket Club coach George Cannonier, said: "This is a tragedy.

Maxwell had a very long sports history here at St. David's."He was a very dedicated janitor and a staunch supporter of the club."Maxwell was a very helpful member who is going to be missed in the community.

He was a real character and very popular in St. David's."He played football for St. David's as a goalkeeper and also served many years in the Bermuda Regiment. He was well-known here in St. David's."

A Bermuda Police Service spokesman said:"The fire was brought under control and extinguished in a matter of minutes. However, it was then noticed that a person was in the structure at the time of the fire and died as a result."

A joint investigation is being conducted with the BPS and the Bermuda Fire Service and foul play has not been ruled out."