1 dead, 4 injured in early morning house fire on Malahat First Nation

Vancouver -

An 18-year-old woman is dead and four people are recovering from injuries after a fire on the Malahat First Nation reserve early Thursday morning.

Steve Henry - a member of the Malahat Nation council and a relative of the family whose home was burned - told CTV News Vancouver Island that the blaze started between 1:30 and 2 a.m.

By the time he arrived, around 2:30 a.m., the house was fully engulfed in flames, Henry said.

There were five people inside the home at the time the fire broke out, according to Henry. The four who survived were taken to hospital, where one - a young man - is still recovering from minor burns. The other three were treated for smoke inhalation and released, Henry said.

Now, the Malahat Nation is rallying support for the survivors. Henry said the family lost everything in the fire, so donations of clothes, furniture and other essentials can be dropped off at the Malahat Nation office.

There is also a GoFundMe page that has raised more than $1,000 for the family so far. 

Shawnigan Lake RCMP said in a news release that they are investigating the fatal fire. The BC Coroners Service is also investigating.

While the police investigation is in its early stages, RCMP said initial evidence suggests the fire was not criminal in nature.