Friends identify teen as one of three Brampton house fire victims

Three people are dead and a child is fighting for her life in hospital after a house fire in Brampton.

Firefighters were called to the semi-detached bungalow on Madison Street, near Bovaird Drive and Dixie Road, around 4:10 a.m. on Tuesday.

The girl was rushed to hospital with life-threatening injuries. Police have not revealed her age.

Brampton Fire Chief Michael Clark said she has third-degree burns and smoke inhalation.

Sheldon Teague, 19, who was staying in the basement, rescued the child. He told CityNews he decided to scope out upstairs after smelling smoke. Teague said the main-level was already engulfed in flames when he kicked in the door.

“I still could hear them screaming so I told them to come towards my voice,” Teague recalls.

He used a cellphone flashlight to signal at least one of the tenants to come towards him. The girl made it about halfway down the hallway before Teague could make out her legs to pick her up and bring her outside.

After rescuing the girl, Teague went back in the house and continued shouting for more people to come towards him. He said by that time, the fire completely took over the front of the house and the fire department arrived.

Scene of fire that left 3 people dead in Brampton. Semidetached gutted by flames. Young girl in hospital with severe burns. pic.twitter.com/DPFNAkWQJe

— Kevin Misener (@Misener680NEWS) February 14, 2017

 

Two other tenants in the basement unit also managed to escape.

Neighbours said a family of four, including two daughters, lived on the main level.

Friends confirmed 18-year-old named Amina Kapadia, her mother Jyoti Kapadia, and her father, were all killed.

Clark said firefighters attacked the flames from the front of the house and had the blaze under control in 10 minutes. He said it appeared the fire started on the main floor in the living room.

Firefighters then entered the house through the side and searched the basement before making their way upstairs. Once there, they found three bodies in the bedrooms of the main unit of the semi-detached house.

The house was registered as a multi-dwelling unit and its fire code was met when the house was registered. The date of registration is unknown.

Clark said he was unsure whether there were any working smoke alarms in the home, but said firefighters didn’t hear any alarms upon arrival.

Brampton Fire, Peel regional police and the Ontario Fire Marshal are investigating.