3 dead after Vancouver Island house fire, including man who tried to save others

Three people were found dead after a fire tore through a rental home on Vancouver Island earlier this week.

Investigators believe one of the victims initially escaped the blaze, but ran back inside to rescue others before he succumbed to smoke inhalation.

"If you can get out, then get out and don't go back in," Chief Ron French of the North Cowichan Fire Department said in an interview Wednesday.

First responders were called to the large residential property in the 1600 block of Maple Bay Road, northeast of Duncan, around 9:30 a.m. Monday.

Later that day, the local RCMP detachment said "at least one person was pronounced dead at the scene." But on Wednesday, the RCMP and the B.C. Coroners Service confirmed the remains of three people were found in the home.

None of the victims has been publicly identified.

French says the fire is believed to have started in the living room of a downstairs rental suite, where up to five people were believed to be dwelling.

One of those residents was not home at the time, and two others initially escaped when the fire broke out, according to the fire chief.

"From what we can tell, one of the people living there was woken up by the one fellow who got out," French said. "But he went back in to wake up two others and he succumbed to the smoke."

Brianna Cameron, the daughter of the couple who lived in the upstairs suite, says her parents were renting the entire home and subletting the downstairs suite to a middle-aged couple and at least one other person.

Her father, Tom Kalmar, had just left for work, and her mother, Leslie Cameron, had gone to yoga when the fire broke out, she said.

The fire chief says the cause of the fire is still under investigation.

"In the beginning, we always look at it as a suspicious fire until we can determine what it is, but we just don't know what took place prior to the fire starting," French said.

"With such a fire loss, it's hard to determine exactly what started the fire. We have a location, but we can't confirm what it was."

Due to the severity of the fire, investigators have not determined whether there were working smoke alarms in the suite.

The fire chief said authorities are still working to confirm who was on the lease for the downstairs suite and who was a guest staying the night.

"It's hard to tell who actually was on the rental agreement to be in there," French said. "We're having a bit of a time trying to get the true story of what was going on in the basement."

The fire scene has now been turned over to police and insurance investigators.

Cameron says her parents had moved into the home two years ago to be closer to her children, while the downstairs residents had moved in approximately six months ago.

"Everyone has been helpful and wrapping us in a big blanket of love," Cameron said, adding that her parents are now living with her after losing everything to the fire.

Firefighters from the neighbouring communities of Maple Bay, Crofton and Chemainus were called to assist in the initial fire response.

Anyone with information related to the deadly fire is asked to contact the North Cowichan/Duncan RCMP at 250-748-5522.