Man’s Body Found in Burning Warehouse : Crime: Police say the fire was set as a cover-up. The victim died of head blows, a preliminary autopsy finds.

Police said Monday that they are investigating the death of a man whose bludgeoned body was found in a burning warehouse Sunday night.

Firefighters arrived about 11:30 p.m. at 8561 Roland St. to extinguish flames at a unit in an industrial complex, Buena Park Police Sgt. Robert Chaney said.

After they broke down a door, investigators found in a chair a man’s body that was “charred pretty badly,” Chaney said. The man’s car was also missing, police said.

A preliminary autopsy Monday morning determined that the victim, who was about 40, died after being hit several times in the head with a blunt instrument. His attacker had set the victim and his surroundings on fire “in hope of covering things up,” Chaney said.

There was no sign of forced entry by the attacker, police said.

The blaze caused $5,000 worth of damage, Fire Battalion Chief William Cleveland said. Buena Park firefighters, assisted by crews from Fullerton, took 23 minutes to control the fire.

Officials said it will take further investigation to determine whether the victim was alive when the fire was set. The man’s name was not released Monday pending notification of relatives.

The unit where the body was found had been rented to Jessie Powel, who said he has been using the warehouse for his independent magazine and newspaper distribution business. Powel said the man police believe was the victim had lived at the warehouse, shared rent with him and did not work because of an injury from a previous job as a furniture mover.

“I don’t know why anyone would do this to him,” said Powel, who sells a variety of general and specialty publications. “He was a very nice guy.”

The victim was single, Powel said, and had family in Canada.

On Monday, workers in neighboring units were shocked to find yellow police tape blocking entrance to the warehouse. They said crimes are rare in the industrial neighborhood.

“I don’t want to work here anymore,” said a woman who did not want to give her name.

“It’s a terrible thing,” said Cecil Barnett, a cement contractor. “But what can you do?”

Several people said they knew a man had been living at the warehouse but that they did not know his personal background.

Police said the man’s 1976 white Chevrolet van, bearing California license plate 2LPP155, was missing from the parking lot of the complex. Anyone with information is asked to call detectives at (714) 562-3978.