A man’s body was found inside a burned self-storage unit on Monday as firefighters put out a fire at a Storage Post Self Storage facility in Pompano Beach, Fla. The blaze was contained to two units after the fire was reported at 1000 S. Dixie Highway about 11:45 a.m. It’s not clear if the man was dead prior to the fire or if he was killed during the incident, according to a source.
When firefighters arrived, smoke was pouring through the front of the units. Responders forced their way into both units and discovered the body while extinguishing the flames, according to Sandra King, a spokesperson for Pompano Beach.
The fire was first noticed by a tenant, who informed the facility manager. "I saw the smoke just billowing out of the first three bays—really thick, black smoke," witness Philip Baton told a source. "No big booms, no sound or anything. I wouldn't even have known if I didn't see the smoke."
Authorities removed contents from at least two units in their investigation to determine how the fire started. No cause has been reported. The fire and death are under investigation by the Broward County, Fla., Sheriff’s Office.
The man’s body was transported to the local medical examiner’s office to determine his identity and cause of death. No other injuries occurred, King said.
Storage Post, a private company that operates facilities along the East Coast and in the South, entered the Florida market in 2014 when it acquired eight Best Florida Storage properties, including two in Pompano Beach.
Headquartered in Atlanta, the company has more than 30 locations in Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, New Jersey and New York. Since 2012, the company has expanded its portfolio with more than 30 property acquisitions.
