Police say a second person has died after an arson attack in Richmond Hill, Ont., which already claimed the life of an 11-year-old girl.
At around 3:15 a.m. on Sept. 1, emergency services responded to a call for a house fire on Skywood Drive, south of Bathurst Street and King Road.
Police said five people were taken to hospital; three of them were initially classified as having life-threatening injuries, but later in the day, all were listed in critical condition.
Initially, police said one of those victims was an 11-year-old girl who died.
In an update, the force said 24-year-old Helya Bahari-Kashani had also passed away. Her death is being investigated as a homicide.
“York Regional Police are investigating the incident, and at this time based on evidence collected during the course of the investigation, the fire is believed to be an arson,” the force said in a statement.
“The investigation is ongoing and police are asking anyone who was in the area at the time to check their security cameras or dashcam footage.”
The other three victims remain in hospital in critical condition.
— with files from Global News’ Aaron D’Andrea