By Canadian Press

Police watchdog investigating man’s death following fire in Langley B.C.

Nov 11, 2023 | 6:00 PM

LANGLEY, B.C. — British Columbia’s independent police watchdog is investigating the death of a man who barricaded himself in a home in Langley which burned to the ground.

Police say they were called Friday morning to do a wellness check on a man and found him at approximately 4 p.m. inside a residence along the border with the United States.

A statement from the Independent Investigations Office says the man was reportedly armed with a weapon and barricaded himself inside the building.

Mounties say in a separate statement that officers reported shots being fired from inside and called the emergency response team who tried to talk to the man.

Police say at approximately 10:40 p.m., a fire erupted and eventually engulfed the building and damaged two police cars. 

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RCMP say they believe the man did not exit the building and died in the blaze, but they will continue looking for him once firefighters have finished at the scene.

The Independent Investigations Office is a civilian oversight agency that investigates all officer-related cases where there has been serious harm or death.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 11, 2023

The Canadian Press