Man found dead in burning Pompano Beach storage unit

Cause of death under investigation

POMPANO BEACH, Fla. – A body was found Monday at a Pompano Beach storage facility after firefighters were called to the building.

The fire was reported about 11:45 a.m. at a Storage Post Self Storage facility at 1000 S. Dixie Highway.

Broward Sheriff's Office detectives said a renter saw smoke coming from one of the units and notified the manager. 

Pompano Beach spokeswoman Sandra King said two bays were on fire when authorities arrived, and smoke was coming out of the front of the bays. She said firefighters forced entry into the bays, and a man's body was discovered while firefighters were extinguishing the flames. 

"I saw the smoke just billowing out of the first three bays -- really thick, black smoke," witness Philip Baton said. "No big booms, no sound or anything. I wouldn't even have known if I didn't see the smoke."

It's unclear if the man was dead before the fire started or whether he was killed in the fire.

Investigators were seen removing the contents of at least two storage units as they worked to determine how the fire was started.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.

Detectives said the body was taken to the medical examiner's office to determine the cause of death and the man's identity.


About the Authors:

Amanda Batchelor is the Digital Executive Producer for Local10.com.

Andrew Perez is a South Florida native who joined the Local 10 News team in May 2014.