A man is dead after a devastating fire at a residential home in Mission, B.C., on Thursday morning.
The fire broke out around 4:30 a.m. at the property on 12th Avenue near Cedar Street. Firefighters were able to remove the home’s sole occupant, but the best efforts of first responders could not save him.
The man’s family members have been notified and are receiving support, according to a Thursday statement from the Mission RCMP.
Mounties are now investigating the cause of the fire, which remains unknown, as the BC Coroners Service conducts its own fact-finding investigation into the man’s death.
About 20 firefighters fought the fire on Thursday morning, with additional support from crews in Abbotsford.
“There’s damage throughout the structure. This was fully involved,” Mission Fire Rescue Service Asst. Chief Ian Glasgow said in an interview. “On arrival we had flames showing on all levels of the building.”
The fire is currently believed to have started in the basement. Investigators will remain at the home throughout the day to find out more, Glasgow said.