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‘Everybody’s hearts just tore out of their chest’: investigation into fatal Pubnico Head fire continues

Click to play video: 'RCMP have determined a fatal fire in Pubnico Head, N.S. is not suspicious.'
RCMP have determined a fatal fire in Pubnico Head, N.S. is not suspicious.
The investigation into a fatal fire in Pubnico Head, N.S., continues. Natasha Pace reports – Jan 8, 2018

The community of Pubnico Head, N.S., is in mourning following a heartbreaking fatal fire that claimed the lives of four young children.

“It’s devastating knowing the parents and knowing how much their kids mean to them and now that’s just taken away in an instant,” said Cyril d’Entremont.

D’Entremont is the production manager at Wade’s Wire Traps Ltd. He works close to where the fire occurred and knows both the man and woman who lived in the home.

“Everyone can really feel for the situation when there’s kids involved,” he said.

READ: Man rescued from fatal house fire ‘struggling to stay alive’: relative

Fire not suspicious 

The fire broke out around 12:13 a.m. Sunday, and by the time firefighters arrived on scene, the home was fully engulfed in flames. Investigators were back on the scene Monday, combing through remnants of the home and working to piece together what happened.

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“We’ve conducted our preliminary investigation and at this stage, we’ve determined there is nothing suspicious about what happened,” said Cpl. Jennifer Clarke of the RCMP.

Police are not saying much about the incident. While they have confirmed there were fatalities, police will not say how many people died, their ages or gender.

Two people escaped the burning home. One of them, a man, was taken to hospital for treatment. The man is believed to be the father of some of the children who died. Sources have told Global News that four children perished in the fire, including an infant.

WATCH: RCMP confirm there were fatalities as a result of a house fire near Yarmouth, N.S.

Click to play video: '4 dead in house fire near Yarmouth, N.S.: RCMP'
4 dead in house fire near Yarmouth, N.S.: RCMP

Support in place for students at local school

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Grief counsellors were at Drumlin Heights Consolidated School on Monday, where two of the children attended classes.

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In a letter sent home to parents, the school says they have implemented a plan to allow students to talk about their thoughts and feelings with trained professional staff.

Both the school and the Tri-County Regional School Board say they will continue to monitor the situation and will provide any and all resources available to the school as needed.

In addition, they have also provided a series of suggestions for possible ways guardians can provide comfort for students during this time.

Church open as a place of comfort

The Argyle and Pubnico Baptist Church has opened its doors as a place of comfort, offering a space for community members to gather, talk or pray.

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The church will be open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and again from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., from Monday to Wednesday for anyone who wants to stop by.

‘Everybody’s hearts just tore out of their chest’: investigation into fatal Pubnico Head fire continues - image

Community to help families impacted by fire 

Pubnico Head is a very close-knit community where everybody knows everybody. Residents say they will try to help the families impacted by the fatal fire in any way possible.

“It really pulls the community together because everybody can relate to how hard this has got to be on the family. Everybody’s hearts just tore out of their chest realizing when you lose kids, families, just devastating,” said d’Entremont.

“I find with this community as well as with most coastal communities, people pull together, try to support each other the best they can but in trying times like this, what can you do really?”

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WATCH: ‘Devastating’ house fire in Pubnico, N.S., leaves four children dead

Click to play video: 'Children killed in Nova Scotia house fire'
Children killed in Nova Scotia house fire

Cause of the fire still unknown 

Although the fire has been deemed not suspicious by RCMP, the cause is still unknown.

In fact, the fire department says they need to wait until police are done with the scene to start investigating.

“We have to probably help the fire marshal, who will determine or try to determine, what the cause of the fire was,” said Gordon Amiro, the chief of the West Pubnico Fire Department.

“Right now, we can’t go there so we don’t know what the cause was yet.”

The Medical Examiner’s Office says they will be continuing their work over the coming days and that the results will be shared directly with the families, said the RCMP and the fire marshal.

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