Canada- Five family members including child, in critical condition, following fire in home, Richmond Hill, Toronto, 1 Sept., 2025, *Possible arson*.

[dotr]

Sep 01, 2025

Ontario Fire Marshal investigating after five people hospitalized in Richmond Hill house fire

Authorities say five people were rushed to hospital after a residential fire in Richmond Hill north of Toronto.

torontosun.com

'York Region Paramedic Services says it received a call about the fire in the area of Skywood Dr. and Rollinghill Rd. shortly after 3 a.m. '
''Paramedics say they assessed all five patients, four of whom lacked vital signs.

“So the way we conduct a fire investigation — it’s very systematic,” said Jim Kettles, of the Ontario Fire Marshal’s office.

“Every fire that we investigate, we do it the same way. It’s a systematic approach so that nothing is missed. It’s always the same. We cover base. Leave no stone unturned. Especially, when you’re talking about five people that are in hospital. This is serious and we are going to devote every resource that we need to hopefully uncover what it was that happened here.”

 

[vls12345]

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/richmond-hill-house-fire-labour-day-1.7622433

A gas can and a backpack were found at Saint Marguerite d'Youville Catholic School, leaving many nearby residents like Clair Tang in disbelief.

 

[vls12345]

Five people were taken to hospital after a residential fire in Richmond Hill

RICHMOND HILL — Authorities say five people were rushed to hospital after a residential fire in Richmond Hill north of Toronto.

www.elliotlaketoday.com

Police, meanwhile, say three of the five people taken to hospital have suffered life-threatening injuries.

 

[dotr]

Sep 1, 2025
Five people are in critical condition in hospital, including one child, after an early-morning fire tore through a multigenerational family home in Richmond Hill on Labour Day.

5 members of Richmond Hill family are in critical condition after fire early morning on Labour Day

Five family members, including a youth, from Richmond Hill are in hospital after a fire on Labour Day. Fire officials suspect arson but confirm working smoke alarms in the home.

www.yorkregion.com

''The victims, all family members, are being treated at several hospitals, according to Jim Kettles, an official with the Office of the Fire Marshal. He told reporters he believes they were all “associated” with the home. Police later confirmed all five victims are family members.

“My understanding is that the 911 operator during the phone call was able to hear smoke alarms during the call and that the first firefighters that arrived also reported hearing smoke alarms inside,” Kettles said. “As we all know, that’s your best chance at escape.”
The fire official arrived in the afternoon to investigate with police. The blaze is considered suspicious and possible arson, but it’s too early to say what sparked it, said Kettles.
He also did not comment on the cause but confirmed the house had working smoke alarms.''

 

[Inthedetails]

Sep 1, 2025
Five people are in critical condition in hospital, including one child, after an early-morning fire tore through a multigenerational family home in Richmond Hill on Labour Day.

5 members of Richmond Hill family are in critical condition after fire early morning on Labour Day

Five family members, including a youth, from Richmond Hill are in hospital after a fire on Labour Day. Fire officials suspect arson but confirm working smoke alarms in the home.

www.yorkregion.com

View attachment 612135
''The victims, all family members, are being treated at several hospitals, according to Jim Kettles, an official with the Office of the Fire Marshal. He told reporters he believes they were all “associated” with the home. Police later confirmed all five victims are family members.

“My understanding is that the 911 operator during the phone call was able to hear smoke alarms during the call and that the first firefighters that arrived also reported hearing smoke alarms inside,” Kettles said. “As we all know, that’s your best chance at escape.”
The fire official arrived in the afternoon to investigate with police. The blaze is considered suspicious and possible arson, but it’s too early to say what sparked it, said Kettles.
He also did not comment on the cause but confirmed the house had working smoke alarms.''

The smoke alarms bring up questions. I suppose the fire accelerated very quickly (which goes along with arson, I would guess). Our smoke alarms go off even if we have the oven on a super high temp or if we burn the toast, neither of which are actual fires (or much smoke for the burning toast).

jmopinion

 

[Dreamcherry]

The smoke alarms bring up questions. I suppose the fire accelerated very quickly (which goes along with arson, I would guess). Our smoke alarms go off even if we have the oven on a super high temp or if we burn the toast, neither of which are actual fires (or much smoke for the burning toast).

jmopinion

Fire spreads VERY fast, even without an accelerant. It's genuinely terrifying how little time it can take for something to be completely engulfed in flames.

 

[rsteen]

As it says the family was multigenerational, I wonder if one or two of the adults were elderly grandparents who had difficulty getting out of the residence quickly. Plus the child, doesn't say their age so may have been young enough to also not be able to self evacuate.

 

[Inthedetails]

Fire spreads VERY fast, even without an accelerant. It's genuinely terrifying how little time it can take for something to be completely engulfed in flames.

I thought it was determined to be arson? Sorry if I had that info wrong.

jmopinion

 

[amandab]

Sep 01, 2025

Ontario Fire Marshal investigating after five people hospitalized in Richmond Hill house fire

Authorities say five people were rushed to hospital after a residential fire in Richmond Hill north of Toronto.

torontosun.com

''Paramedics say they assessed all five patients, four of whom lacked vital signs.

RSBM: maybe I'm just being pedantic here, but aren't patients who are lacking vital signs.....dead?

 

[NavySubMom]

RSBM: maybe I'm just being pedantic here, but aren't patients who are lacking vital signs.....dead?

That was my exact thought.

 

[Dreamcherry]

I thought it was determined to be arson? Sorry if I had that info wrong.

jmopinion

Yes, you're right! Sorry, I don't think I was very clear. My point was that fire already spreads very fast without an accelerant, so if an accelerant is used, like it probably was in this case, the time between hearing the alarm go off and being surrounded by flames could be a matter of a couple of minutes. They might not have had a lot of time to react, especially if the sound woke them up and they were already disoriented by sleep. What a horrific situation

 

[dotr]

rbbm

Ontario Fire Marshal probing Richmond Hill fire that has five people in critical condition

The Office of the Ontario Fire Marshal is probing a mysterious fire at a family home on Skywood Dr. in Richmond Hill.

torontosun.com

''Two neighbours mentioned seeing police at the home back sometime in July, and a man — possible in his 40s, standing the in the home’s driveway with what looked to be flowers one night for a lengthy extended period of time.

Investigators on Monday found a red gas jug and what looked to be a black hoody stuffed under a spruce tree at the nearby St. Marguerite D’Youville Catholic School, which investigators took away as potential evidence.

York Regional Police said on Tuesday they would be holding a Press conference at 10 a.m. Wednesday to discuss information related to the fire.''

 

[dotr]

11-year-old girl dies in hospital after Richmond Hill fire, police say home was targeted in arson

A fire that originally sent five people to hospital in critical condition is now being investigated as arson and a homicide, York Regional Police said Wednesday.

www.thestar.com

''An 11-year-old girl has died after her family home in Richmond Hill was intentionally set on fire, police said Wednesday.
A fire that sent five people to hospital in critical condition is now being investigated as arson and a homicide, York Regional Police Insp. Paolo Fiore told reporters at a press conference at police headquarters.
The young girl died in hospital Tuesday, Fiore said.''

Arson at Richmond Hill home claims life of 11-year-old child: police

An arson at a home in Richmond Hill is now being investigated as a homicide after an 11-year-old child died in hospital, York Regional Police say.

www.cp24.com

''Police previously said the other victims are believed to ages 70, 59, 42, and another person in their mid-20s.''
“The victims are still in the hospital and in critical condition. There is no further information I can provide,” Insp. Paolo Fiore told reporters on Wednesday.
Sources told CP24 earlier this week that all five patients are members of the same family.
A red gas canister was visible underneath a tree near the home at the time of the blaze and police have now confirmed that arson is suspected.

A red gas cannister is seen near the site of an arson at a home in Richmond Hill on Sept. 1, 2025. (Beatrice Vaisman/ CP24)
''No arrests have been made.
“It is very early on. It is a very active investigation,” Fiore said. “At this point in time, we do not have a suspect description.”

 

[Luce2842]

Sep 1, 2025
Five people are in critical condition in hospital, including one child, after an early-morning fire tore through a multigenerational family home in Richmond Hill on Labour Day.

5 members of Richmond Hill family are in critical condition after fire early morning on Labour Day

Five family members, including a youth, from Richmond Hill are in hospital after a fire on Labour Day. Fire officials suspect arson but confirm working smoke alarms in the home.

www.yorkregion.com

View attachment 612135
''The victims, all family members, are being treated at several hospitals, according to Jim Kettles, an official with the Office of the Fire Marshal. He told reporters he believes they were all “associated” with the home. Police later confirmed all five victims are family members.

“My understanding is that the 911 operator during the phone call was able to hear smoke alarms during the call and that the first firefighters that arrived also reported hearing smoke alarms inside,” Kettles said. “As we all know, that’s your best chance at escape.”
The fire official arrived in the afternoon to investigate with police. The blaze is considered suspicious and possible arson, but it’s too early to say what sparked it, said Kettles.
He also did not comment on the cause but confirmed the house had working smoke alarms.''

Another fire in Canada!

 

[dotr]

Very sad.

Second person rescued from house fire in Richmond Hill dies: police

A 24-year-old woman has died from the injuries she sustained in a house fire in Richmond Hill on Monday, York Regional Police say.

www.cp24.com

'A 24-year-old woman has died from the injuries she sustained in a house fire in Richmond Hill on Monday, York Regional Police say.

In a news release on Thursday, police confirmed the victim, Helya Bahari-Kashani, died in the hospital the previous day.

She is the second person killed in the fire that has also claimed the life of an 11-year-old girl. Police said the three others, believed to be ages 70, 59, and 42, who were rescued at the scene remain in critical condition.''