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UPDATE - One dead in Alberni house fire

A house fire in Port Alberni early Sunday morning claimed the life of a 70-year-old man.
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A firefighter's oxygen tank and mask lays outside the yard of a River Road house that was gutted by fire early Sunday morning. One man inside the house died but neither foul play nor arson is suspected

One person is dead after a house fire on River Road early Sunday morning.

RCMP watch commander Steve Dupis confirmed the news early Sunday afternoon.

“There was one fatality and he is a male, 70 years old,” Dupis said.

The name of the man isn't being released pending notification of next of kin, he added.

The cause of the fire hasn't been determined yet but arson and foul play aren't suspected at this point, Dupis said.

Nevertheless, police, fire and the B.C. Coroner’s Service have all ensued investigations.

Police arrived at the house just after 4 a.m.

“We arrived one minute before fire did and we found the house fully engulfed in flames,” Dupis said.

Police evacuated neighboring homes, then pounded on the door of the house on fire and yelled but no one answered, Dupis said.

Fire crews brought the fire under control and quickly retrieved the man but he’d succumbed to his injuries, Dupis said.

reporter@albernivalleynews.com

The original story can be read here.