A blaze that tore through a waterfront mansion in West Vancouver early Monday morning appears to have been deliberately set, according to firefighters.

Crews were called to the Bellevue Avenue home shortly after 4 a.m. and arrived to find it fully engulfed in flames.

No one was seriously injured, but Fire Chief Randy Heath said battling the blaze proved difficult and the property was damaged extensively before firefighters could put it out.

“The access to this building is from one side – it’s on the waterfront – so it is challenging in some areas,” Heath said.

“Thankfully, everybody is out of the house.”

A second home was also damaged, and two people were taken to hospital for smoke inhalation.

The cause of the fire is still under investigation, but authorities have deemed it suspicious.

A gas canister was also found near the scene.

Anyone who may have seen something unusual in the area, or witnessed someone purchasing gas in a fuel canister nearby, is asked to contact the West Vancouver Police Department at 604-925-7300.