British Columbia

Person dead after vehicle fire at Coquitlam, B.C., rec centre

Mounties say a person was found dead after a vehicle fire in a Coquitlam parking lot on Sunday morning. In a statement, Coquitlam RCMP said they responded to reports of a car on fire at the City Centre Aquatic Complex on Pinetree Way around 11:35 a.m.

Police say the fire appears to be an isolated incident and is under investigation

A police officer holds up a phone to a car with a yellow tarp on it, with the car having visible damage.
Police are investigating after a body was found in a burning car at the City Centre Aquatic Complex in Coquitlam, B.C., on Sunday. (Shane MacKichan)

RCMP say a person was found dead after a vehicle fire in the parking lot of a Coquitlam, B.C., recreation centre on Sunday morning.

In a statement, Coquitlam RCMP said they responded to reports of a car on fire at the City Centre Aquatic Complex on Pinetree Way around 11:35 a.m. PT.

Officers discovered a body inside the burned vehicle after they arrived, according to the statement.

The fire was extinguished by the local fire services, who confirmed to CBC News that they responded to the blaze. No further details were provided by fire officials.

A visibly-damaged car with a yellow tarp on it.
Coquitlam RCMP say they were called to the recreation centre at around 11:35 a.m. PT on Sunday. (Shane MacKichan)

"This is a deeply tragic incident," said RCMP Cpl. Alexa Hodgins.

She says investigators believe the fire is isolated in nature, and does not pose a threat to public safety.

The cause of the fire is still under investigation, and police are asking anyone with information or who may have witnessed the incident to contact Coquitlam RCMP, referencing file number 2024-24487.