Brampton: Three members of a rental family were killed and four others, including a pregnant woman, were seriously injured after a massive house fire on Banas Way, west of Brampton, on Friday night. Two Punjabi families remain missing, and officials say the landlord of the property is also Punjabi.
Firefighters have been sifting through the debris of the burnt structure for two days to determine the fate of the missing residents. Brampton Mayor Patrick Brown said the owner, who lives abroad, applied to build a subunit in the home in 2020.
Investigators attempted to inspect the property several times over the years but were not allowed inside by those living there.
According to fire officials, when teams arrived at around midnight, the upper floor of the twin home was fully engulfed in flames. Neighbouring houses were evacuated as crews began firefighting operations.
During the search, the bodies of two people, including a child, were found inside. Four residents, including a pregnant woman and a five-year-old boy, jumped out of a window to escape but suffered serious injuries. One of them is reported to be in critical condition. The blaze caused severe structural damage to both units of the semi-detached home.
Ontario’s premier offered condolences to the victims. Authorities have not yet released the identities of the deceased or the injured, but neighbours said the families were Punjabis who had been living in the rented property for several years.
Further information suggests the house was purchased around six years ago by an investor living in India through a local realtor. The owner never returned to Canada and had assigned the responsibility of rent collection and property maintenance to an acquaintance living in the area.
