Investigators alerted to homicide at Surrey B.C. residence after firefighters respond to alarm, sprinklers

Homicide police are investigating after one person was found dead and another found seriously injured inside an apartment in Surrey, B.C., on Sunday.

Fire crews were first called to the building in the 14900-block of 102A Avenue to respond to a fire alarm and sprinklers going off.

Firefighters found one woman dead and a man with life-threatening injuries inside one of the apartment units just after 6 p.m. PT.

The man was taken to hospital.

The Integrated Homicide Investigation Team (IHIT) said the woman's death was a homicide, but did not release further information on cause of death.

In an interview Monday, IHIT Sgt. Timothy Pierotti said investigators identified both the woman and man, but said their names are not being released as their families have not been notified.

He said police are still looking to confirm how the man and woman might be connected, but police don't believe they were family members.

"We're still trying to learn as much as we can about everybody that's involved in this," Pierotti said.

"If you know the people that live in this apartment, if you could please contact IHIT, we'd like to get as much background information to build a complete picture of what happened here."

Pierotti said investigators are also looking to determine whether the fire alarm was a coincidence or linked to the homicide.

RCMP said the building was evacuated and investigators confirmed there was no fire. All of the people living in the building are out of their homes "for an undetermined amount of time" as a result of the sprinklers, police added.

In an email, the Surrey Fire Service confirmed it had responded to the incident but deferred requests for an interview to IHIT.