Remains found in Brampton home destroyed in deadly blaze

Investigators found one person’s remains Friday in a Brampton home destroyed in a deadly blaze as they searched for signs of the fire’s origin and for three people who had been reported missing.

Officials said the partially collapsed house was too unsafe to enter and would have to be excavated for crews to be able to search and investigate.

On Friday afternoon, Peel regional police said what they believe to be the remains of an adult had been found in the remnants of the home. Police said one of those still unaccounted for was believed to be a child.

Machines worked on the house Friday before the discovery.

“It’s not how fast we can bring it down. It is how slowly, methodically and carefully we can bring it down to ensure that we don’t disrupt anything that is critical to the investigation,” Deputy Fire Marshal Carrie Clark said.

Two people were confirmed dead and four others were injured, including a five-year-old, after the house was engulfed in flames early Thursday morning. By Friday, one injured adult was in critical condition, but the others were reportedly stable.

In all, 11 people were said to be living in the house; nine family members and two people in a secondary basement unit.

Mayor Patrick Brown alleged Thursday the home was owned by an “absentee landlord” who had a history of compliance issues with the basement unit.

Investigators have not speculated on the cause of the fire. But Brown said the blaze underlined why the city was clamping down on “illegal units.”

“When I hear that investigations were refused, the entry was refused, it gives me great concern that unfortunately this is going to end up being one of those circumstances that could’ve been avoided,” he said.

By Jordan Omstead