Toronto Star

'I can't believe she's gone...'

U of T community mourns loss of internatio­nal student killed in Scarboroug­h house fire,

- STAFF REPORTER

EVELYN KWONG The 18-year-old woman killed in a Scarboroug­h house fire Wednesday morning has been identified by a close friend as Chinese internatio­nal student Helen Guo.

“She was a really kind and friendly girl,” said Vivian Meng, an internatio­nal student who started at the University of Toronto’s Scarboroug­h campus with Guo.

The two met in June 2017 after attending U of T’s Green Path program, an admissions program that gives undergradu­ate students from China a “Canadian-style learning environmen­t” that leads to a degree from the school. The two had just finished their first year. Guo was studying business management at U of T, Scarboroug­h.

“This is a terrible tragedy,” said Bruce Kidd, vice-president and principal of UTSC. “The thoughts of the entire campus community are with the family of the student who was killed in the fire and with the three other students who were in the house.”

Before they started their first year, Meng said she and Guo travelled around Canada to learn more about their new country, visiting Ottawa, Montreal and Quebec for about half a month.

“Every morning (during the trip) she got up and made breakfast for us,” Meng said. “I can’t believe she’s gone.”

Neighbours told the Star the area — largely made up of detached homes with perfectly manicured lawns — has become popular with U of T and Centennial College students.

“There’s tons of students here. They’re all internatio­nal,” said Brian McConnell, a 10-year resident of the neighbourh­ood. “So many of these houses all have basement apartments that are rented out to them.”

“I was shocked,” McConnell said. “I hate the feeling that a student died.” With files from Fatima Syed, Inori Roy, and Jenna Moon

 ?? FACEBOOK ?? Helen Guo, 18, was “really kind and friendly,” said fellow internatio­nal student Vivian meng.
FACEBOOK Helen Guo, 18, was “really kind and friendly,” said fellow internatio­nal student Vivian meng.

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