Vehicle fire related to Surrey house fire where body was found, IHIT says

From Jan. 12: A man was found dead inside a burning home in Surrey, B.C., on Monday morning.

Homicide investigators probing a suspicious house fire in Surrey say they believe a vehicle fire reported Monday night is related.

The vehicle fire was reported near Redwood Park in South Surrey, on 20 Avenue near 179 Street, according to an update shared by the Integrated Homicide Investigation Team Tuesday.

IHIT did not say what time the vehicle fire occurred, but asked for witnesses and video from the area between 9 p.m. and 11 p.m. Monday.

Car fires often follow gang-related killings in Metro Vancouver, and IHIT says this appears to be another such instance.

“We believe this was a targeted incident with a potential nexus to organized crime,” said Cpl. Sukhi Dhesi, in IHIT’s statement.

“We are working closely with the Lower Mainland District Integrated Forensic Identification Service (LMD IFIS) and the Combined Special Enforcement Unit of British Columbia (CFSEU-BC) to advance the investigation.”

The investigation began with a call from Surrey Fire Services shortly after 7 a.m. Monday. Officers from the Surrey Police Service were called to a house fire on 56 Avenue near 127 Street to assist with road closures, but began investigating after firefighters found a dead body inside the home.

The death was deemed suspicious, and IHIT took over the investigation. In its update, the team says its investigators “are working to understand the totality of the circumstances leading up to the death, including the cause of death and cause of the fire.”

“We are still working to identify the victim and will provide additional details should they become available,” IHIT’s statement reads.

Homicide investigators asked anyone with information or video related to either fire scene to contact them at 877-551-4448 or [e-mail].