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Body Found In Burning Truck Behind Vacant Detroit Home

DETROIT (WWJ) - Arson investigators are on the scene of a deadly fire on Detroit's east side.

Firefighters responded Friday morning to a fire on Beaconsfield Street, in a neighborhood near I-94 and Outer Drive, and found a truck in flames behind a vacant home.

After the fire was extinguished, firefighters discovered charred human remains in the passenger seat. Assistant Police Chief Steve Dolunt said the body appears to be heavy-set female, but is burned beyond recognition.

"We can't tell if she's white or black, it's kind of hard to tell," he said. "Obviously, she didn't do it to herself so we're going to treat it as a homicide."

Investigators are on the scene, but have not yet determined how the fire started or how the woman might have died.

Reporting live from the scene, WWJ's Mike Campbell said it appears nearly every home on Beaconsfield Street, between Southampton and Frankfort streets, is vacant. Only one home appears to be occupied; the rest are either boarded up or left completely open, with missing windows and doors.

Anyone with information on the case is urged to contact police at 313-596-2260 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-SPEAK-UP.

body found in car
(Credit: Mike Campbell/WWJ Newsradio 950)

Stay with WWJ Newsradio 950 and CBSDetroit.com for the latest.

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