Woman dies after apartment fire and standoff with Victoria police, watchdog says

A female suspect who allegedly barricaded herself inside a downtown Victoria apartment during a standoff with police has died in hospital, according to the Independent Investigations Office of B.C.

Police first encountered the woman on the evening of Dec. 25 after receiving reports of an armed suspect causing a disturbance inside a multi-unit building in the 700 block of Pandora Avenue.

The IIO says the suspect barricaded herself inside the apartment, but when officers noticed smoke coming from inside, members of a tactical emergency response team entered the suite and pulled her out while firefighters dealt with a fire.

The woman was taken to hospital in critical condition, but died on Sunday, according to the IIO.

The police watchdog, which investigates any incident where police actions may have caused serious harm or death, is still looking into the circumstances that led to the woman's death. No details about her identity have been released.

The IIO initially told reporters that the injured person was a man, but a spokesperson has confirmed that was an error.