Death of man found by firefighters last week is being investigated as homicide: police

The death of a man whose body was discovered in a burning home last week is being treated as a homicide, Winnipeg police say.

Firefighters were called about the blaze in a single-family bungalow on William Avenue West just before midnight, according to a news release from the Winnipeg Fire and Paramedic Service. 

When they arrived, the home was fully engulfed in flames. Crews tried to extinguish the fire from inside the home but due to deteriorating conditions, they were forced to exit the house and transition to a defensive attack. 

After getting the fire under control, crews reentered the building at around 1:14 a.m. Friday, and found a man inside, who was declared dead at the scene. A dog also died in the fire. 

The man has been identified as Brian Robert Scibak, 61, of Winnipeg. 

At a news conference Monday, police spokesperson Const. Jay Murray said that after Scibak's body was recovered, it quickly became apparent to police that an investigation might be warranted, and that was confirmed by the post mortem exam. 

Scibak lived in the home that caught fire, but police can't say whether anyone else lived there with him, Murray said. 

No arrests have been made and police are looking for suspects.

Anyone with information about this investigation is asked to call the homicide unit at 204-986-6508 or Crime Stoppers at 204-786-TIPS (8477).