Ottawa police say they have determined a man’s death in downtown Ottawa was not a homicide.
The man was found on Queen Street on Oct. 14, suffering from severe burns, in what was initially described as a serious assault. He later died in hospital.
The Ottawa police homicide unit took over the investigation but said in an update Thursday that foul play has been ruled out.
“Following the initial stages of this investigation, we can confirm that there was no foul play in this tragic incident. The man’s next of kin have been notified,” police said. “The investigation can confidently confirm that no one else was involved in setting the fire that led to the man’s death.”
Police did not publicly identify the man.
The Ottawa police arson unit will continue to work with the office of the Fire Marshal to determine the materials or substances origin of the fire.