WASHINGTON: A Pakistani American man was found dead inside a Northwest Washington apartment after firefighters extinguished a small blaze early Wednesday, prompting a homicide investigation, authorities said.
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Crews from DC Fire and Emergency Medical Services responded around 3:33am to reports of smoke in a hallway in the 1400 block of Rhode Island Avenue NW. After entering an apartment and putting out a minor fire, firefighters discovered an unconscious adult male who was not breathing.
The victim was identified by the Metropolitan Police Department as 40-year-old Syed Hammad Hussain. Officials said he had sustained blunt-force trauma along with thermal injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene after responders found no signs of life.
The residence is located near Logan Circle, a densely populated neighbourhood about 1.1 miles northwest of the White House. Police said that after an initial fire assessment, the case was transferred to homicide detectives. No suspects had been identified as of Friday.
Investigators are reviewing surveillance footage from a neighbouring building. Sources familiar with the case told local media the video shows Hussain entering the property with three other individuals — including a possible woman — shortly before the fire. The same individuals were later seen fleeing the building.
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Authorities have appealed for public assistance, urging anyone with information to contact police. The Metropolitan Police Department is offering a reward of up to $25,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of those responsible.
Hussain’s family, originally from Lahore, is settled in Washington. Funeral prayers are scheduled for Saturday at the Dar Al-Hijrah Islamic Center in Falls Church, Virginia.