- Adriano Bussandri suffered horrific injuries when he was attacked at home
- Police suspect he was unable to raise the alarm when the fire was started
- Firefighters found his body after neighbours alerted them to the blaze
- Investigators have struggled to find evidence among the damaged home
By Chris Greenwood and Alex Gore
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Neighbours of a murdered wealthy oil executive captured on camera the moment firefighters struggled to tackle the flames set by his killer at his ?1.8m home.
Adriano Bussandri, 51, suffered horrific injuries after being attacked and left for dead by a killer who attacked him with a sharp weapon and set fire to his home.
Police suspect he was unable to raise the alarm as he became overcome by smoke.
Caught on camera: Adriano Bussandri was killed in a house fire at his Putney home in south west London
Intense blaze: The fire gutted two top-floors of the property making it hard for investigators to gather evidence
Searching for clues: Police forensic officers have been investigate the death of the oil executive
Aftermath: A collapsed roof (left) and smashed glass on the front door (left) can be seen from the road outside
The body of Mr Bussandri, a British citizen of Italian origin, was discovered by firefighters last Friday at about 5am.
A neighbour on Holroyd Road - which is popular with bankers and lawyers - in affluent Putney, south west London, said she suspects the fire started in the roof of the three storey house.
She said: 'I was up at about 5am with the baby and heard some noise and looked outside my window and saw five fire engines.
'The window on the roof has caved in so there must have been a room up there. The fire burned for ages. It must have been difficult to get to grips with it because fires don?t start in roofs.
'They had a cherry picker to put out the fire but the flames were there for ages.'
The neighbour, who asked not to be named, said everyone thought tragic Mr Bussandri was on holiday, but his beloved black Lamborghini was still parked outside.
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'He moved in here about last January and I always thought it was strange he didn?t refurbish the house because people around here normally do.
'It was a flat let for students before and I couldn?t understand why nothing had changed.
Blaze: The top two floors of the Putney property were said to be gutted by the fire
Break-up: Mr Bussandri lived separately from his wife, Marina, 49, and daughter Sabrina, 18
'Everyone thought he was on holiday but I don?t know why because he car was still outside. He had a black Lamborghini which he loved but it?s been taken away now.
'The police said there was a chain on the door and no forced entry. It?s very sad.'
The blaze gutted the two top-floors of the property, meaning investigators have a difficult search for clues.
They are examining the background of Mr Bussandri, who made his money by setting up major wholesale petrol supplier Harvest Energy Ltd.
He resigned from his post as finance director after becoming caught up in the contaminated supermarket fuel scandal in 2007.
That led to ?8million in compensation being paid to almost 20,000 Tesco customers whose vehicles were damaged.
A post-mortem examination at St George?s Hospital, in Tooting, South London, found he died of smoke inhalation.
But the pathologist found he also suffered multiple injuries to his head and body after being attacked by a ?sharp? weapon.
Mr Bussandri was not working at the time of his death and lived separately from his wife, Marina, 49, and daughter Sabrina, 18.
'Murder': Police are keeping an ?open mind? about why Mr Bussandri was killed
Inquiry: Officers have said there was no sign of a break-in at the property and no weapon has been found
Mystery: ?We are still trying to ascertain the last person to speak to him or see him'
Quit: Mr Bussandri resigned from his post as finance director as becoming caught up in a 2007 scandal
Firefighters discovered the businessman?s body when neighbours raised the alarm.
Det Chief Insp Russell Taylor, who is leading the inquiry, said there was no sign of a break-in at the property and no weapon has been found.
He said police are keeping an ?open mind? about why Mr Bussandri was killed, but said there is no evidence it is linked to his work.
He added: ?We do not have a motive or suspect at the moment. There is no information that the house was broken into and the premises was secure.
?It is still being searched but it is going to take some time as the property has been badly damaged by the fire.
?We are still trying to ascertain the last person to speak to him or see him. At this moment I have also not been able to establish a time of death.
?We are still trying to build up a picture of Mr Bussandri?s life and I am absolutely desperate to speak to anybody who had contact with him.
?There are not that many people who had that recent contact with him.?
Leafy street: The three-storey house is in Holroyd Road, which is popular with lawyers and bankers
Crime scene: Holroyd Road in Putney where Mr Bussandri was killed
According to Companies House records, Mr Bussandri was a founder of Harvest Energy Ltd, based in prestigious Cavendish Square, in Central London.
The company, which made almost ?26million profit last year, supplies petrol and biofuels to forecourts across Britain.
His brother, Franco, who lives in North London, remains managing director. His wife declined to comment.
Det Chief Insp Taylor added: ?It is apparent that Mr Bussandri had been subjected to a violent assault prior to the fire.
?If anyone has information, please speak to my officers by calling the incident room on 0208 721 4868.
A London Fire Brigade spokesman said the loft conversion and a large part of the first floor of the house were ?severely damaged? in the fire.
He added: ?Sadly, a man?s body was found at the scene.?
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