A man is arrested blocks from the scene where a woman was found dead in Burnaby, B.C.A man is arrested blocks from the scene where a woman was found dead in Burnaby, B.C. (CBC)

A man was arrested blocks from a Burnaby, B.C., residence where a 38-year-old woman was found dead Monday, apparently killed while some of her five children were in the home.

Police were called to a house in the 8300 block of 14th Avenue in the southern part of the city by a neighbour who overheard a violent confrontation just before 3 p.m. PT.

A 44-year-old man was arrested a short time later at a Petro-Canada gas station a few blocks away, witnesses said.

"Not all of the [victim's five] children were home at the time of the incident. None of the children were physically harmed in the altercation," said RCMP Cpl. Dale Carr in a news release.

Investigators were not prepared to release the manner of death at this time, said Carr.

Earlier reports said the woman had been stabbed.

A local television cameraman said police put handcuffs on the man, then removed them to put plastic bags over his hands before putting the handcuffs back on him.

The suspect is expected to make a first appearance in Burnaby Provincial Court Tuesday.