Homicide unit investigating deadly Pritchard Avenue house fire

The Winnipeg Police Service's homicide unit is investigating a deadly house fire in Winnipeg's North End that claimed the life of one person on Monday.

Firefighters were first called to the 600 block of Pritchard Avenue shortly before 6 a.m. and extinguished flames on the main floor and in the attic, a City of Winnipeg spokesperson told CBC News.

In an email sent early Monday afternoon, the spokesperson said everyone got out of the home before fire crews arrived.

However, members of the Winnipeg Police Service's identification unit were seen taking a stretcher, with a body on it, out of the house around 5:30 p.m.

Police confirmed the death was associated with the fire, but have not released any more details about the body that was removed from the home.

Craig Young lives nearby and said a couple (a man and a woman) has been watching the house the last few weeks for a relative who owns the home.

"When I got up this morning, there was a bit of smoke in the house and I actually thought this house was on fire," Young said, adding the flames he saw grew and became huge.

Young said he and the man who has been watching the home recently started speaking with each other.

"I talked with him; we struck up a friendship over the last few days," Young said. "It's just a sad situation to see.

"Just recently, the actual lady who lives in the house, her husband died, he had pneumonia, and that's only a few weeks ago, so it's going to be rough on the whole family," Young said.

Police tape continues to surround the house as of early Monday night. As well, police and fire commissioner vehicles remain at the scene.

Investigators could not say whether the fire was the product of arson.

Two cats died in the fire, according to the city.