Death of woman found after house explosion was a homicide: police
Police say a woman whose body was found after an Ontario house explosion died as a result of a homicide.
Waterloo regional police say 58-year-old Edra Haan was found dead in the backyard of a Kitchener, Ont., home after an explosion that destroyed the residence on Wednesday morning.
Police say the coroner’s officer has determined that Haan's death was a result of a homicide.
They say a 58-year-old man who also lived in the residence remains in hospital with serious injuries.
Police didn’t say whether they had a suspect.
They say the cause of the explosion has not yet been determined.
The woman was remembered by her brother on Thursday as a caring person who put the needs of her family above her own.
Edra Haan’s brother, Al Pinheiro, said his sister was a loving mother, sister, daughter and wife, noting that she and her husband had two adult children.
“Edra was a very giving, very unselfish person,” Pinheiro said in a statement. “As a sister, she was somebody I looked up to. Someone who put her family ahead of herself.”
Neighbours said the couple had lived in the home with their two dogs. Wednesday’s early morning blast started a fire and levelled the home on a quiet residential street. Parts of the roof were blown to the ground and charred wood and other debris was scattered in the area.
One neighbour who helped Udo Haan from the destroyed home after the blast said the man was badly burned.
Deputy Fire Chief Rob Martin said on Thursday that the investigation into what caused the blast — which also prompted the evacuation of 16 nearby homes — was ongoing.
“We are focusing on restoring the neighbourhood so that the residents that are displaced can return,” said Martin, adding that authorities are working to secure the utilities on the street and ensuring that there are no leaks to the hydro, water and gas lines.
“We’re just hoping to return some normalcy to the neighbourhood.”