Family releases statement after three brothers die in Brampton, Ont. house fire
The three boys killed in a townhouse fire in Brampton on Thursday are being remembered by their family as a kind, caring and "delightfully rambunctious bunch" who were deeply loved.
The Bagan and Tomatuk Family released a statement Friday through the advocacy group Malton Moms, identifying the boys as 15-year-old Coen Bagan-Overholt, 12-year-old Riley Bagan-Overholt, and nine-year-old Alex Bagan Overholt.
The brothers died in hospital after being pulled from their burning home near Torbram Road and Clark Boulevard.
The family said the boys' mother, Heather Bagan, was not at the home at the time of the fire as she went to drop off her youngest child at his daycare. When she returned, the residence was already engulfed in flames.
Firefighters are shown at the scene of a fatal house fire in Brampton, Ont., Thursday, Jan.20, 2022. Three boys have died after a house fire in Brampton, Ont. on Thursday morning. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Frank Gunn
"Heather's boys were a delightfully rambunctious bunch, but they were also a tribe of their own," the family said in a statement. "Brothers and young boys, that can most definitely be described as incredibly kind, always caring, affectionate, and more than anything, deeply loved."
Coen was known for being witty, the family said. He had a great sense of humour and will be remembered for always having a smile on his face.
The family described Riley as "smart and observant in his own quiet way, and very spunky."
Alex was the happy-go-lucky boy, the family said. He was fun and silly and wore an infectious smile.
The brothers are also survived by their big sister Taylor and their five-year-old brother Nate.
"We thank you for the kind words of support and comfort, for the thoughts, donations, and for the empathy and love that has been expressed by so many who share our grief and loss during this unimaginable time," Heather's sister, Cheryl Tomatuk-Bagan, said in a statement.
The family also acknowledged the efforts of the first responders, saying, "we thank them for their bravery and attempts."
According to the statement, Heather's family from Moose Factory, Ont. will be travelling to Brampton to be with her while extended family from Peterborough have already arrived to provide support.
Neighbours have also been dropping flowers and candles at a makeshift memorial near the home.
On Friday, officials from Brampton Fire and Emergency Services visited the memorial and placed stuffed toys there.
"We just wanted to show some recognition of what happened here and just to have a quiet moment to remember and honour those who passed away," said Fire Chief Bill Boyes.
"It's a difficult day for the community for sure. It's such a close-knit neighbourhood as you have seen, and obviously, for our department and for our team and the police and the paramedics, it's a tough day too," he added.
Flowers, toys and candles are seen at a makeshift memorial for the victims of a fire in Brampton. (CTV News/Corey Baird)
Peel police called Thursday's fire a "tragic circumstance" and said that they were not investigating it as a case of neglect.
The cause of the fire is being investigated by the Office of the Fire Marshal in parallel with police.
The fire broke out around 9:11 a.m. and when crews arrived, they encountered heavy flames and smoke.
Mayor Patrick Brown said that one of the boys called 911 to report the fire and told the dispatcher that he was stuck inside.
He said it took six minutes for the first firefighters to arrive at the home, but the fire had already spread. Police arrived at the scene first and attempted to get to the boys, but were blocked by the flames and smoke.
"I can assure you when this call first came across and information was received that there were children in the home, these officers were trying to get here, just like the firefighters were, just like the paramedics were, all trying to get here as quickly as possible to do whatever it is that we could have done to try and rescue the occupants of the home," Peel police Const. Akhil Mooken said Thursday.
Flags have been lowered at three Peel Region schools where the boys attended.
The Malton Moms group has created a GoFundMe page to help the family.
- with files from Joshua Freeman and The Canadian Press
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Fluid in eye cells can 'boil' if you watch the eclipse without protection: expert
Millions of people in parts of Eastern and Atlantic Canada will be able to see the rare solar eclipse happening on April 8. But they should only look up if they have proper eye protection, experts say.
CRA no longer requiring 'bare trust' reporting in 2023 tax return
The Canada Revenue Agency announced Thursday it will not require 'bare trust' reporting from Canadians that it introduced for the 2024 tax season, just four days before the April 2 deadline.
NEW More unauthorized products for skin, sexual enhancement, recalled: Here are the recalls of this week
Health Canada and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency recalled various items this week, including torches, beef biltong and unauthorized products related to skin care and sexual enhancement.
Where is the worst place for allergy sufferers in Canada?
The spring allergy season has started early in many parts of Canada, with high levels of pollen in some cities already. Experts weigh in on which areas have it worse so far this season.
Do these exercises for core strength if you can't stomach doing planks
Planks are one of the most effective exercises for strengthening your midsection, as they target all of your major core muscles: the transverse abdominis, rectus abdominis, external obliques and internal obliques. Yet despite the popularity of various 10-minute plank challenges, planking is actually one of the most dreaded core exercises, according to many fitness experts.
He didn't trust police but sought their help anyway. Two days later, he was dead
Jameek Lowery was among more than 330 Black people who died after police stopped them with tactics that aren’t supposed to be deadly, like physical restraint and use of stun guns, The Associated Press found.
Grandparent scam: London, Ont., senior beats fraudsters not once, but twice
It was a typical Tuesday for Mabel Beharrell, 84, until she got the call that would turn her world upside down. Her teenaged grandson was in trouble and needed her help.
Polar ice is melting and changing Earth's rotation. It's messing with time itself
One day in the next couple of years, everyone in the world will lose a second of their time. Exactly when that will happen is being influenced by humans, according to a new study, as melting polar ice alters the Earth’s rotation and changes time itself.
Sunshine list: These were the Ontario public sector's highest earners in 2023
Ontario released its annual sunshine list Thursday afternoon, noting that the largest year-over-year increases were in hospitals, municipalities, and post-secondary sectors.