One person is dead after a fire engulfed three homes in Coquitlam, B.C., Tuesday morning, officials say.

Coquitlam Fire and Rescue’s acting fire chief Chris Fox said crews attended the 700 block of Roderick Avenue at about 9:10 a.m. PT after receiving multiple 911 calls about clouds of black smoke.

“Crews arrived to find three homes involved in fire, including a duplex, with heavy fire and smoke visible from multiple areas both inside and outside the structures,” he said in a statement to CBC News.

“Firefighters acted quickly to contain the fire and prevent it from spreading.”

Coquitlam RCMP said the body of a resident was found inside a residence.

An 18-year-old was treated at the scene and an RCMP officer was taken to hospital for treatment of smoke inhalation, police said.

Neighbour Marylu Fernandez watched the flames take hold.

“Everyone was curious, of course. I was looking from my window,” she said.

“I was amazed at the ambulance, the fire trucks and the police … It was so fast. The help came right away.”

Her son Francis said he woke up to hear neighbours screaming in fear.

“It was three houses [away], so close to our place … To be honest, it’s quite painful to think about whoever owns that house, the mental and emotional state they were put through.”

Two of the three properties sustained extensive damage, and crews remained on the scene for much of the day extinguishing hot spots.

A fire investigation team will work to determine the cause of the blaze once the site is deemed safe.