Police still unable to ID body found at blaze site

Police in Surrey still don’t know the identity of an apparently homeless man found dead after a fire in an outbuilding in late January. Surrey RCMP have renewed an appeal for information about the fire victim. He was found inside a shed on a property in the 10800-block 132nd Street around 7 a.m. on Jan. 29. “The shed was a well-known spot for homeless persons to seek refuge,” said RCMP Cpl. Scotty Schumann in a public appeal. “There is no foul play suspected, however, officers are still trying to identify the deceased person to notify next of kin.” The B.C. Coroners Service has determined the victim was a white man, about 5-foot-6, 140 pounds, and was likely in his 20s or 30s. “Investigators have exhausted all avenues to identify the victim including dental records, checking missing person reports and canvassing the area,” says Schumann. Anyone with information is asked to call Surrey RCMP at 604-599-0502 or Crime Stoppers, 1-800-222-8477.