Man presumed dead after fire erupted in Langley: IIO investigating
The Independent Investigations Office (IIO) is investigating an apparent death in Langley after RCMP responded to a wellness check.
According to the BC RCMP, around 10:15 on Friday, officers were called in to check in on a person “who was distraught and made concerning comments.”
Officers worked on locating the individual and eventually found him at a residence near 216 Street and 0 Avenue in Langley around 4 pm.
“Upon attendance, officers from the Langley RCMP reported shots being fired from inside the building,” a statement from Mounites reads.
In response, the LMD Integrated Emergency Response Team assisted on the scene, and RCMP said the IERT attempted to communicate with a man who had barricaded himself inside the building.
The IIO added that it’s been reported that the man was armed with a weapon.
“At approximately 10:40 pm, a fire erupted and eventually engulfed the building,” the RCMP statement reads. “It is believed the individual did not exit the building and is believed to have perished in the blaze.”
No one else was injured in the incident, but the fire heavily damaged two police vehicles.
The IIO BC is investigating the police’s action or inaction in the incident.
The Langley RCMP is conducting a parallel investigation into the events preceding the interaction with police.
The IIO is urging those with relevant information or video footage of the incident to contact the Witness Line toll-free at 1-855-446-8477 or via the contact form on the iiobc.ca website.
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