One person is dead after an early-morning fire destroyed a Nanoose residence on Sunday.

Neither Oceanside RCMP nor the B.C. Coroners office has released the identity of the victim, but it has been confirmed by family that 85-year-old Beatrice Sharock was the lone resident. She had been home the evening before the fire.

The Nanoose Fire Department was called to the home on Higginson Road, near the waterfront, and requested RCMP assistance about 4:40 a.m.

The request came because firefighters understood that there might be somebody in the home, said Oceanside RCMP Sgt. Darrell Robertson. Firefighters found a body just after 9:30 a.m.

Victim-services workers from Parksville stayed with members of Sharock’s family who were at the scene.

Regional coroner Matt Brown said the victim’s identity is not likely to be released before Tuesday.

“We’re attempting to determine a cause of death,” Brown said. “At this point, the source of the fire is still under investigation.”

The fire does not appear to be suspicious, he said.

Map shows location of Higgninson Road in Nanoose:

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