5 lives lost, including an unborn baby, in Brampton house fire, says relative

Beth Macdonell reports the latest on a deadly house fire in Brampton, Ont., late last week, and the tragic losses suffered by the family occupying the home.

Four members of the same family as well as an unborn baby died as a result of a house fire in Brampton late last week, says a relative who was not home at the time of the blaze.

Late Sunday afternoon, Peel Regional Police, after consulting with the victim liaison officer, provided information to CTV News Toronto about a man named Jugraj Singh, who lived at the now nearly demolished residence near McLaughlin and Remembrance roads, being away at the time of the Nov. 20 fire.

This brings the total number of residents of the dwelling to 12: 10 members of a multi-generational family along with two tenants in a basement unit, whom police said were unharmed.

Emergency responders at the scene early Thursday morning said they found two people deceased: one inside the residence and another who was just outside of it.

Peel Regional Police said four other occupants survived the blaze but were critically injured after jumping from a second-floor window. Three of them, including a five-year-old boy, are now in serious condition, while the fourth individual is still fighting for their life in hospital, they said.

Crews combing through the wreckage on Friday said they located the remains of a third person, who has only described as an adult.

The search for two other missing occupants, one of whom is believed to be a toddler, was paused until Sunday afternoon as the coroner attended the scene.

• READ MORE: Remains of 1 adult found in burned-out Brampton home, as search continues for 2 unaccounted for occupants

‘Beloved Indian Punjabi family’

Singh, meanwhile, has set up a crowdfunding page to support his family “during the most heartbreaking and unimaginable time of our lives.”

In it, he says he is the only member of his family who is physically safe as the fire took five lives from his “beloved Indian Punjabi family” – his mother-in-law, his sister-in-law, her two-year-old daughter, his wife’s cousin, and his unborn child.

Singh noted that his wife and their five-year-old son are among those who survived, indicating that those who were injured are “all currently in the ICU, suffering from severe burns and receiving critical medical care.”

Everything in house destroyed

He added that the fire also destroyed “everything in the house — personal belongings, clothing, passports, insurance documents, and other essential papers.”

“Nothing was left,” said Singh, who noted that he is also hoping to raise enough funds to repatriate his loved ones’ bodies back to India.

“As the only family member able to manage arrangements, I am trying to cope with both the emotional devastation and the overwhelming financial burden.”

A number of grieving family members were seen near the scene of the fire on Sunday. One of them was observed speaking with officials there.

Neighbours devastated

Many in the community are also heartbroken.

“It’s just terrible. It’s just unbelievable that this could happen here. I don’t know what really happened in there. And for anybody to jump out a window and people running around running away. ... Nothing makes sense here,” said area resident Roy Hawlow, who like many, keeps stopping by the scene.

“I feel sorry for (the family.) I wish I could help them even when we can’t do nothing.”

Brampton Mayor Patrick Brown has said that the house is owned by an “absentee landlord,” whom he said submitted a building permit application to create a second unit in the basement in 2019 but failed to request an inspection for completed work.

Investigation continues

The investigation continues and officials have not said what caused this fatal fire.

Peel Regional Police, Brampton Fire and Emergency Service, and the Office for the Fire Marshal will be providing an update on the investigation on Monday at noon.