Two adults and 7-year-old girl found dead in Nanaimo home after fire

CHEK

RCMP, Nanaimo Fire Rescue and the BC Coroners Service are investigating after three people were found dead after crews responded to a fire on Nicol Street.

Three people were found dead after crews responded to a house fire in south Nanaimo Tuesday afternoon, authorities said.

On Tuesday night, Nanaimo RCMP confirmed that the bodies were those of two adults and a seven-year-old girl.

“This is a terrible tragedy to hit our community,” said Cpl. Jon Stuart.

“We are working with the fire department to investigate this incident.”

Nanaimo Fatal Fire Skye

Nanaimo Fatal Fire Skye

Duration 1m

Nanaimo Fire Rescue crews were called to the 700 block of Nicol Street shortly after 12:30 p.m. Fire Chief Karen Fry said a bystander called 911 and the call did not come from inside the house.

When crews arrived at the house, the fire had spread throughout the building. Fourteen firefighters were able to extinguish the fire at 2:30 p.m.

“In our process of putting the fire out, we discovered three deceased persons in the building,” Fry said.

According to Fry, the single-family detached house was heavily damaged. She also said the fire was “quite stubborn.”

“Obviously these are very tough situations for our firefighters,” Fry said.

“It’s one of those things where we think about the impact to them when they go to scenes like this, it’s very traumatic.”

Neighbours told CHEK News a couple and a young girl lived inside the home.

“Family of the deceased have been contacted, and School District 68 has been notified as the young girl attended a local school,” read a statement from Nanaimo RCMP.

“This investigation is still in the initial stages, and may take a significant amount of time due to the complexity of cases involving fires”

RCMP, including the Nanaimo detachment’s serious crime unit, and Nanaimo Fire Rescue will start the investigation into the cause of the fire and the deaths on Wednesday. Fry said on Tuesday, the house was still too hot to enter and RCMP would be providing security throughout the night.

The BC Coroners Service has confirmed they are investigating the deaths. The identities of the three people have not been released. RCMP said family of the three people have been contacted. School District 68 has also been notified as the seven-year-old girl attended a local school.

“This investigation is still in the initial stages, and may take a significant amount of time due to the complexity of cases involving fires,” the Nanaimo RCMP said in a statement.

On Wednesday morning, Nanaimo RCMP said the victims were a family and there was nothing to suggest any other people were involved at this point.

RCMP, Nanaimo Fire Rescue and the BC Coroners Service are investigating after three people were found dead after crews responded to a fire on Nicol Street.

Alexa HuffmanAlexa Huffman

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