Waterloo Regional Police have confirmed that the death of Edresilda Haan in Wednesday's home explosion in Kitchener is the result of a homicide.
Edra was found dead in the backyard, according to the Waterloo Regional Police Service. Her death has been deemed a homicide by the Coroner’s Office, police said.
Police are now treating the explosion as suspicious.
CTV News confirmed Thursday that 58-year-old Edra was the victim of the explosion in Kitchener’s Forest Heights neighbourhood.
Family members say Edra lived at 56 Sprucedale Crescent with her 58-year-old husband Udo Haan, who airlifted to Hamilton General Hospital with critical injuries.
Witnesses said he was bleeding from the back of his head and had obvious burn injuries.
Neighbours say the couple was kind and lived in the home for about 25 years.
Emergency responders were called to 56 Sprucedale Crescent, near Highland Road West and Westheights Drive, at approximately 8:10 a.m. Wednesday after a home exploded.
Over 30 firefighters were on scene fighting the flames in the home that suffered the explosion and the two adjacent houses, as well.
Since then 16 homes have been evacuated and the Red Cross was called in.
The Office of the Fire Marshal is investigating the cause and origin of the explosion.
An autopsy is expected to be conducted before the end of the week, but Waterloo Regional Police say it remains a criminal investigation.
