Police say the remains of one person have been found in the wreckage of a Brampton home devastated by fire on Thursday night, as work continues to locate two more people who are considered missing.
In a brief update on Friday afternoon, Const. Tyler Bell said the remains of one adult had been found as excavators go through the painstaking work of “tearing apart” what’s left of the building.
The discovery of the remains has paused the search for the coroner to visit the scene, police said, delaying the search for two more people, including a child, who are still unaccounted for.
The demolition work and search began around 9 a.m. when crews turned up at the property to put up fencing in front of the semi-detached home, before bringing in cranes and other construction vehicles.
The fire was reported after 2 a.m. on Thursday near McLaughlin and Remembrance roads, when first responders received multiple 911 calls about the massive blaze, including reports that some had run to the roof to try and escape.
Two were declared dead, and four others, including a child, were in critical condition. Throughout Thursday, officials said there were three more people who were unaccounted for and considered to be missing.
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Police said in an update on Friday afternoon, one of the hospitalized people was still critical, while the three others — including a five-year-old child — were now stable.
None of those in hospital are in a condition where they can speak to police or fire investigators.
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Authorities investigating suspicious building fire in Coquitlam
Brampton Fire Chief Andy Glynn explained on Thursday that the fire broke out at a home on Banas Way at around 2:30 a.m.
Glynn said when firefighters arrived, there was heavy fire through the roof and a structural collapse within the home, which prevented them from accessing the entire structure.
Police said the fire was so serious that it had led to a “significant collapse” in the building, which was making it hard to determine if others were still trapped inside.
On Friday, large excavators and construction machinery could be seen at the property, as crews went through the slow and painstaking process of “pulling apart” the fire-ravaged house.
The fire marshal’s office said the work was being done to create a safe environment for an investigation.
Mayor Patrick Brown said Thursday the owner of the property was an “absentee landlord,” who had applied — but not finished — converting their basement into a legally registered second unit.
The mayor said there were “a number” of times the city went to inspect the unit, resulting in an order being issued against the property, telling the landlord to make changes.
Brampton’s director of bylaw said his team were in “mid-stream” of enforcing orders and working with the landlord on their secondary unit when the fire occurred.
Officials said they believed a total of 11 people were living in the building.
In a post on social media, Ontario Premier Doug Ford said he was “devastated” to hear about the fire.
“I was devastated to hear about the terrible fire that took place in Brampton early this morning,” he wrote on Thursday night. “My thoughts and prayers are with all those impacted and my thanks go out to the brave first responders who attended the scene.”
— with files from Global News’ Gabby Rodrigues
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