Cause of Dartmouth house fire remains under investigation

CTV Atlantic: Crews battle Dartmouth house fire Fire crews battled a significant house fire in Dartmouth. It started on Regent Drive around 5 p.m.

Investigators are still trying to determine what caused a fire that damaged two homes in Dartmouth.

The fire started around 5 p.m. Sunday at a duplex on Regent Drive. At times, the smoke was so thick and dark it was visible from Halifax.

Officials say the fire started on the back deck of the duplex and spread to a neighbouring home. Both homes sustained significant damage in the blaze.

A teenager and a child were inside the duplex when the fire started, but both made it out safely.

Friends say a single mother with five children lives in the home and she had no insurance. Fundraising efforts are now underway to help the family.

“There’s still five young kids that are there and they’ve lost everything and we just hope, you know, we can do what we can do,” says family friend Lette Beals. “It’s a good community here and a lot of good families and we’re going to pull together to help out this family.”

Halifax Regional Fire and Emergency told CTV News investigators believe the fire started in the rear of the duplex, but there was no obvious source of ignition, so the cause remains uncertain at this time.

Investigators are expected to return to the home Tuesday.