Two people are dead and the region's homicide investigators have been brought in following a house fire early Tuesday in the 1100-block of Cottonwood Avenue in Coquitlam.
The blaze broke out shortly after midnight in a home near Como Lake Park. Before Coquitlam firefighters arrived, witnesses saw smoke billowing from the house and entered the house to look for potential victims, only to be overcome by smoke and forced to leave, said Sgt. Jennifer Pound of the Integrated Homicide Investigation Team (IHIT).
The bodies of a man and woman were found by firefighters. Attempts to revive the two were unsuccessful and they were declared dead on scene, Pound said.
An autopsy will be done to determine what killed the them but IHIT is calling the deaths "suspicious."
"Further examination and scene processing will take place throughout the day today [July 9] in order to answer some of the questions that investigators have in the initial stages," said Pound. "Although the identity of the man and woman will have to be confirmed during autopsy, investigators believe we know who they are and we are in the process of locating and notifying family members."
Identities will be released once family has been notified, and an IHIT press release says cause of death might be released following the autopsy.
The property had recently been sold, and a daycare was run from the home.
According to other media reports, some neighbours reported hearing a scream and loud bang just before the fire erupted.
The home was reportedly the site of a daycare.
- with files from CTV News
