Indian-origin couple, daughter killed in ‘suspicious fire’ at home in Canada’s Ontario

OTTAWA: An Indian-origin couple and their 16-year-old daughter have died in a ‘suspicious’ fire at their home in Canada’s Ontario province.

The incident happened on March 7, however, the police said that they identified the victims on Friday, whose remains were discovered at the site, reported CTV News. The victims have been identified as Rajiv Warikoo (51), Shilpa Kotha (47) and Mahek Warikoo (16). “All three of the deceased persons resided at the address prior to the fire”, Peel Police said in a press release.

On March 7, at 1.30 pm, police were called to the area of Big Sky Way and Van Kirk Drive in Brampton at a residential home that was fully engulfed in flames. In the video captured on a neighbour’s doorbell camera, large flames shoot out of the roof, and black smoke billows into the sky as a fire truck shows up, as reported by CTV News.

“Following the initial efforts of first responders to put the fire out, the fire Marshall’s office was called in to help determine the cause of the fire. While examining the scene, investigators made an unfortunate discovery when they located what was believed to be human remains within the destroyed house”, Peel Police added.

Losing a young Warikoo family (kashmiri pandits) in a blast fire in their home Brampton, Ontario Canada a few days ago is shocking indeed.
Working with the coroner’s office, police said the human remains were identified as 51-year-old Rajiv Warikoo, 47-year-old Shilpa Kotha and… pic.twitter.com/HWRVlQEY6b

— Ravinder Pandita(Save Sharda) (@panditaAPMCC63) March 15, 2024

Moreover, the detectives from the Peel Regional Police Homicide Bureau have been working closely with the Office of the Chief Coroner. Peel police Constable Taryn Young said that the fire has been deemed suspicious, as reported by CTV News.

Speaking with CP24 Friday, Peel police Constable Taryn Young said the fire had been deemed suspicious. “At this time we are investigating this with our homicide bureau and we are deeming this as suspicious as the Ontario Fire Marshal has deemed that this fire was not accidental,” Young said.

“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 added.

She further said that the coroner is also working to determine exactly how the three family members died, reported CTV News. Young also acknowledged that the deadly fire has “devastated” the local community in Brampton, adding that the investigators are working “around the clock” to determine the cause.

One of the neighbours described the three people who died as “a good family” who greeted their neighbours, CTV reported. The neighbour further said that they were seen riding bikes around the area frequently.

“That is so, so tragic. My neighbour’s daughter and their daughter were about the same age and we saw them playing all the time and it was very sad to hear that news”, neighbour Kenneth Yousaf said. (ANI)