Body found in burning building

PROVIDENCE RI (WPRI) - Providence Police are investigating a suspicious death after a man's body is found inside a burning building early Saturday morning.

A neighbor reported seeing smoke coming from 1254 Broad Street in Providence just before 1 a.m. on Saturday.

Providence firefighters found a man's body on the first floor. Investigators say the man has not been identified. The medical examiners office removed the body.

Police are treating the death as a homicide.

Friends of the victim said he owned a store on the first floor and lived on the second.

They could not think of potential motives for his death.

George Deaza, a friend of the victim, was shocked.

“That surprised me,” Deaza said. “This is really sad.”

Jackie Cruz, also a friend of the victim, could not think of a reason.

“He wasn’t a bad guy that someone would want to kill for anything,” Cruz said.

An autopsy is scheduled Monday to determine the cause of death.