VANCOUVER -- Three people are dead after a fire broke out at a motel in Prince George Wednesday, Mounties say.

Police and fire crews were called to Victoria Street near 9th Avenue just before 9 a.m. When crews arrived, they found a portion of the building on fire. Officers closed down the area to traffic and helped evacuees while fire crews battled the blaze.

Three bodies were found inside the building around 12:30 p.m., police say.

The BC Coroners Service is also investigating the case, looking to determine who died and how.

The RCMP says that the identities of the deceased will not be released publicly for privacy reasons.

Anyone with information about the investigation is asked to contact Prince George RCMP at 250-561-3300 or Crime Stoppers.

Mounties are also looking for anyone who may have video or still images captured within a two-block radius of the motel.

Specifically, they're looking for anything captured between 7 a.m. and 9 a.m. Wednesday.

Dash-cam video, cellphone images and surveillance video "would be greatly appreciated," the RCMP said.