Three bodies found after fire at motel in downtown Prince George

The RCMP say the bodies of three people have been found after a motel fire in downtown Prince George.

Cpl. Craig Douglass says emergency services were called to the Econo Lodge City Centre Inn on Victoria Street around 9 a.m.

Wednesday in downtown Prince George.

He says fire crews tackled the blaze, which engulfed a portion of the building, while police assisted with staff and guests who evacuated the structure.

At about 12:30 p.m., Douglass says personnel clearing the building found the three bodies, but he did not have details about their names.

Douglass says an investigation is underway and determining the cause of the fire will take some time.

The RCMP are also working to determine if anyone is missing, but Douglass says with so many people fleeing the area and others gathering to observe the blaze, that has been difficult.

“You can imagine a scene like this is chaos,” he says.

The B.C. Coroners Services says it has begun a fact-finding investigation, but it is in the early stages of the investigation and no other information can be released at this time.

“We are investigating to determine who died, and to investigate how, where, when and by what means,” spokesman Andy Watson says.