Man dead after fire in Surrey basement suite

One man is dead after an early-morning fire inside a home attached to a produce market on the border between Delta and Surrey, B.C.

Fire crews from both cities were called to Sunfarm market on 117B Street around 5:45 a.m. PT. Crews from Delta arrived first and found the basement suite engulfed in flames.

Firefighters pulled the 49-year-old man from the suite but he was declared dead, crews said.

Four other people living in the upstairs unit escaped safely. They were not connected to the victim, according to Surrey Fire Duty Chief Steve Serbic.

Serbic said there was heavy smoke from the fire and it appeared the basement suite did not have working smoke alarms.

"When people are sleeping and they don't have a working smoke alarm ... the smoke itself is what really knocks people down and they're unable to escape," he said.

"We're still investigating, but normally, when people have working smoke alarms, they are alerted and they are able to get out of the home."

Serbic said the home is attached to the back of the market. More than 30 firefighters worked to douse the flames, he added.

Crews are still working to determine how the fire started. The RCMP is investigating, but said in an email no foul play is suspected.