UPDATE: Deadly Seaside house fire being investigated as homicide

UPDATE: 3/8/2019 1 p.m. A man was found dead in the remnants of a house in Seaside that caught fire and now authorities are investigating the case as a homicide.

A spokesperson with the Presidio of Monterey Police Department told KION the fire started around 3:30 p.m. Thursday at a duplex home in the Marshall Park neighborhood that was formerly Fort Ord.

Firefighters with Presidio of Monterey, Marina and Seaside all responded and quickly put out the flames.

Investigators are treating the area as a potential crime scene. The U.S. Army’s Criminal Investigation Division was leading the investigation Friday morning.

The person of interest was identified as 36-year-old Erik Olson, according to the Monterey County Sheriff’s Office.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives is also investigating.

The man who died in the fire has not been identified, but neighbors told KION an older man lived in the home that was scorched.

“He’s very quiet and stays to himself. It wasn’t like he has a lot of people coming in and out,” neighbor Veronica Lopez said.

Lopez was home Thursday afternoon when the fire began.

“Maintenance was fixing something and we saw he broke the window,” Lopez said. Then the firetruck came in and the smoke was going and the flames were coming out the back. I guess it was in the living room.”

The Peninsula Regional Violence and Narcotics Team took over as the lead investigators in the case Friday.

PREVIOUS STORY:

A body was found during a fire investigation in Seaside.

According to Presidio of Monterey Police Department, the fire started on Brittany Road.

Officials said “criminal” and “fire” investigations are underway.

The ATF is taking the lead on the investigation.

This story is developing.