Peel Regional Police say the human remains found following a house fire in Brampton, Ont., last week are those of three people.
A fire broke out at a home on Mossgrove Crescent, near Sandalwood Parkway and Van Kirk Drive, at around 1:30 p.m. on March 7. The home was engulfed in flames and it completely destroyed the home which was reduced to rubble.
After the fire was put out, police said investigators “made an unfortunate discovery when they located what was believed to be human remains within the destroyed house.”
Working with the coroner’s office, police said the human remains were identified as 51-year-old Rajiv Warikoo, 47-year-old Shilpa Kotha and 16-year-old Mahek Warikoo. Investigators said all three people lived at the home before the fire.
Global News has learned from neighbours and friends that they were a family of three — a father, a mother and their daughter.
Andre Deslauriers, who said he was Mahek’s soccer coach, told Global News she was the best player he ever coached.
“I coached Mahek last summer, for the first time, never met her before, and from the very, very get-go she was a standout player. Absolutely amazing,” Deslauriers said.
“You get to coach one person like this in your lifetime, if you’re absolutely lucky,” he said, adding he believed she could have received a scholarship to any university in North America.
Deslauriers said Mahek’s father, Rajiv, was always so proud and supportive of his daughter after games. The team only lost “once or twice” in the whole season, he said.
“My heart sank,” Deslauriers said in reaction to the news that Mahek had died in the fire. “I had to wake my daughter up. She went from waking up to crying.”
Meanwhile, one neighbour said her own daughter and Mahek were friends for years.
“They are really a nice, loving family. So caring,” the neighbour said fighting through tears. “We celebrated Diwali together.”
Another neighbour told Global News she knew Mahek when she was a little girl.
“I watched her grow up and saw her ride her bicycle,” she said. “And see her dad and her mom play cricket together.”
The cause and circumstances of the house fire are still under investigation. Police did not reveal any more details surrounding the fire.