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A home on Athletic St. in south Nanaimo was burned by fire on Thursday, Aug. 11, with the body of an adult man found inside. (Alex Rawnsley/NanaimoNewsNOW)
SUSPICIOUS DEATH

Serious Crime investigating after body found in burned south Nanaimo home

Aug 12, 2022 | 6:12 AM

NANAIMO — The RCMP’s Serious Crime Section has assumed control of an investigation around a house fire in the city’s south end.

Nanaimo Fire Rescue crews made short work on a fire on Athletic St., off Fifth St., around 5 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 11, however a search of the property after flames were out revealed the body of an adult man. Police have deemed the discovery suspicious.

The home itself was completely destroyed, with police maintaining watch over the property early Friday morning and Athletic St. was blocked off by police tape and on-site security.

As of Friday morning, officers were awaiting a search warrant to be approved in order to enter the home and continue their investigation.

No details have been released about the nature of the fire or the identity of the man found inside.

Police did confirm to NanaimoNewsNOW they had visited the property “dozens of times” in the past as a result of complaints made against its occupants.

Reserve Cst. Gary O’Brien said previous calls centred around drugs, violence, disturbances, and driving offences.

While it wasn’t declared as such, it was “well on its way” to formally being a nuisance property.

Nanaimo RCMP maintained a presence at the property overnight Thursday, into Friday, Aug. 12, with one officer and a security guard on scene on Athletic St. (Alex Rawnsley/NanaimoNewsNOW)

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