Last week in Canada’s Ontario province, a tragic and suspicious fire engulfed the home of an Indian-origin couple and their teenage daughter, resulting in their untimely demise. The authorities are investigating the incident to determine the cause of the fire and the circumstances surrounding this devastating loss.
On March 7, a devastating fire consumed a residence in the Big Sky Way and Van Kirk Drive neighborhood of Brampton, as reported by the Peel Police.
An Indian-origin couple and their teenage daughter were killed in a "suspicious" fire which tore through their home last week in #Canada's Ontario province, police said.https://t.co/qWVWc4oZRN
— The New Indian Express (@NewIndianXpress) March 15, 2024
Once the flames were extinguished, investigators discovered what appeared to be human remains amidst the charred remnants of the house. However, the exact number of fatalities could not be confirmed immediately.
The devastating fire that engulfed the home in Brampton, Ontario, has now been identified as the cause of the tragic loss of three family members. The victims have been named as 51-year-old Rajiv Warikoo, his wife 47-year-old Shilpa Kotha, and their 16-year-old daughter, Mahek Warikoo.
According to the Peel Police, the victims resided at the address prior to the fire. Constable Taryn Young confirmed on Friday that the fire has been classified as suspicious, as reported by the CTV news channel.
“At this moment, our homicide bureau is actively investigating the incident. We consider it suspicious because the Ontario Fire Marshal has determined that the fire was not accidental,” stated Young in the report.
“There’s not much left to it,” Young said when asked about the possible cause of the fire.
“Looking into something like that as a fire marshal, I’m sure it’s very tough when there is not much left to look at. But we are exhausting all avenues,” she said.
Kenneth Yousaf, a neighbor of the deceased family, mentioned that they had resided on the street for approximately 15 years, and he had never observed any issues with them.
Yousaf mentioned that he became aware of the fire last week when a family member heard a loud noise resembling a big “bang.”
“When we came out, the house was on fire. So sad. Within a few hours, everything was down to the ground,” the report quoted Yousaf as saying.
The police stated that they are actively investigating the deaths of the three family members and encouraged anyone with relevant information to step forward, in a press release.
“The ongoing investigation centers around the house fire, and authorities encourage anyone possessing relevant information or video evidence (including dashcam footage) to reach out to the Homicide detectives,” stated the police.
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