Three people are still unaccounted for after a deadly fire at a Brampton home that killed two people and injured four others early Thursday morning, police say.
The two-alarm blaze broke out at a home on Banas Way, located near McLaughlin and Remembrance roads, at around 2 a.m.
Police said two adults were pronounced dead at the scene and four others, including a child, were transported to hospital in critical condition. The child is believed to be four or five years.
While all four hospitalized victims are still listed in critical condition, police say that the child is “moving towards stable.”
Brampton Fire Chief Andy Glynn said in an update outside the home on Thursday morning that one of the deceased victims was found just inside the home while another was found outside the residence.
“When crews arrived, it was a pretty significant fire,” he said. “We had fire through the roof on arrival and we’ve had structural collapse inside the building.”
Adjacent homes were also damaged during the fire but officials say all occupants of those residences were able to evacuate safely.
Police say that nine members of a multi-generational family lived inside the home, including the three individuals that are still unaccounted for. Another two individuals lived in a basement apartment within the building, police say.
The Office of the Ontario Fire Marshal has been called to the scene and will work alongside an excavation company to “slowly dismantle” the unit and “look for any other individuals that might be still inside,” Glynn said.
Police say that of the three people who are still unaccounted for, one is believed to be a child.
“We have potentially three people unaccounted for that may be in the residence, we just don’t know yet,” Acting Sgt. Tyler Bell said. “There is some significant collapse that happened as a result of the fire so the OFM alongside the (excavation) company that was mentioned are going to come and try to stabilize the structure as much as possible so crews can get in and do a thorough search.”
Officials were unable to provide any information on the ages of the other victims but said their injuries included burns and smoke inhalation.
“It is a sad day and thoughts and prayers to everybody,” Glynn said.
cp24

