Investigators have determined that a body found at the scene of an explosion in 91原创 on Sunday, Oct. 22, was not murder.
The Integrated Homicide Investigation Team said in a statement that police came to the conclusion along with the BC Coroners Service. The body is a 54-year-old man from 91原创 but not from the property where the explosion took place (24300 block of 8th Avenue).
Mounties and firefighters responded to the explosion in an outbuilding on a property in rural 91原创 on Sunday.
The homicide team was called to the scene after the human remains were found by firefighters.
鈥淭he file came in initially as an explosion; this in and of itself is suspicious,鈥� explained 91原创 RCMP Cpl. Craig van Herk. 鈥淭hen, human remains were located at the site of the explosion. The combination of the two deemed it initially as suspicious in nature. BC Coroner Service was consulted and IHIT was contacted.鈥�
IHIT took over the investigation and additional specialized units were called in to assist with the processing of the explosion site.
鈥淭he Integrated Forensic Identification Services (IFIS), the RCMP Explosive Disposal Unit (EDU), the RCMP Clandestine Laboratories Enforcement and Response team (CLEAR) were the specialized units that responded 鈥� each bringing different specialized equipment, knowledge and experience,鈥� van Herk said.
But as the investigation progresses, evidence pointed to the fatality not being a homicide and IHIT turned the investigation of the explosion back to 91原创 RCMP which is still investigating but not 鈥渉olding the scene,鈥� he said.
鈥淚HIT would like to thank their partners at the 91原创 RCMP, the Integrated Forensic Identification Services (IFIS), the RCMP Explosive Disposal Unit (EDU), the RCMP Clandestine Laboratories Enforcement and Response team (CLEAR) as well as the BC Coroners Service for their assistance with this investigation,鈥� said Cpl. Esther Tupper, of IHIT.
鈥� With files by 91原创 Advance Times reporter Heather Colpitts
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