One of the three victims of the fatal fire in a Johnson Street home in February 2013 suffered from stab or puncture wounds, according to a B.C. Coroners report released Wednesday.

But Victoria police say there was no criminal involvement, which leaves unexplained how exactly 26-year-old Mark Jeffrey Mitchell obtained those injuries.

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Mitchell was on the porch where the fire started after a smoldering cigarette re-ignited in a couch about 4:30 a.m. on Feb. 16, 2013. The coroner’s report concluded he died of burn injuries to his entire body and a two-centimetre-wide “stab wound” in the left side of his back that punctured his lung and caused internal bleeding. An autopsy also found a three-centimetre wound to the left forearm.

No weapon or object consistent with the puncture wounds was found at the scene, the report said.

“The potential exists that the wounds resulted from an altercation with an unknown person or were accidentally caused in some manner when Mitchell entered the burning porch,” the report said. “As it is not possible to reach a conclusion as to how these injuries were sustained, this death is classified as undetermined.”

Victoria police have ruled out any criminal involvement in the fire at 1320 Johnson St.

Fire investigators ruled out arson, an electrical fire or an accelerant.

Victoria police lead investigator Sgt. Jamie McRae said he knew the day after the fire that Mitchell suffered from unexplained puncture wounds. He travelled to Vancouver to oversee a forensic autopsy.

McRae said there is no evidence to suggest there was any altercation or fight, and that Mitchell could have fallen on a sharp object as he tried to escape the fire.

“The pathologist used the term stab wound. I used the word puncture wound,” he said, adding that “stab” often implies a deliberate act but could be accidental.

McRae said when police arrived at the multi-unit rental house, they came upon a scene of “complete chaos” with people jumping out of windows, neighbours rushing out and the fire quickly spreading. Several officers ran around the back of the house to help people escape.

Eleven investigators were involved in the file, interviewing dozens of people who were at the party during the evening. Police were in close contact with fire investigators and together conducted a thorough forensic analysis of the scene, McRae said.

Mitchell’s father, Mike, said the family had known about the stab wounds for some time.

“The information that there were wounds, possibly indicating a stabbing, is not news to us,” Mike and his wife, Jori, said in a statement.

“Neither is it surprising to us that the cause is unknown at this point. We have no information that we can add to clarify these important matters. … Whether there needs to be or should be further official investigations is something that will have to be decided and pursued by the proper authorities.”

Georgia Paige Klap, 22, and Emily Grace Morin, 20, died from smoke inhalation as a result of the fire. The coroner’s report classified both deaths as accidental.

The report said Mitchell went to his bedroom to sleep after midnight but came downstairs to talk with friends about 2:30 a.m. before heading back upstairs. Most of the party guests left about 3 a.m. It’s not clear why or when Mitchell went back downstairs to the porch.

About 4 a.m., one of the residents went outside and did not see any signs of smoke on the porch. About half an hour later, she heard crackling sounds and went downstairs to find the porch engulfed in flames. She tried to throw water on the fire and other residents heard her screaming. Those who escaped did so through other doors and windows.

Someone called 911 and police arrived within two minutes to help evacuate the house. Firefighters arrived shortly after police to start battling the fire.

Firefighters found Klap unresponsive and lying on the floor near a window in an upstairs bedroom. They carried her out of the house and paramedics started first-aid measures as she was taken to Victoria General Hospital where she died at 4 p.m. that day.

Morin was found unresponsive and lying on the floor of her bedroom, where the fire had burned partially through from the porch below. Paramedics tried to resuscitate her but she was pronounced dead on arrival at Royal Jubilee Hospital.

The coroner’s report said there was no working smoke detector in the home.

Morin and Mitchell were a couple, described as ambitious and passionate about their future careers.

Both graduated from the horticulture technician program at Camosun College in 2010 and worked on organic farms in the province as part of the World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms program.

Klap attended the University of Victoria and was interested in travel and other cultures. After graduating from high school, she spent a year at the Youth Initiative Program in Sweden.

kderosa@timescolonist.com

ldickson@timescolonist.com