Deadly blaze
Halifax fire claims seven children in Syrian refugee family
HALIFAX — Seven children, all members of a Syrian refugee family, died early Tuesday in a fast-moving house fire described as Nova Scotia’s deadliest blaze in recent memory.
The children ranged in age from about three months to the mid-teens, according to a woman who lives next door in the suburban Spryfield neighbourhood.
A man and woman who escaped the fire remained in hospital Tuesday afternoon, the man with life-threatening injuries.
In a brief interview from the hospital, Imam Wael Haridy of the Nova Scotia Islamic Community Centre said the Syrians — whose family name is Barho — had fled that country’s civil war.
“We’re here in hospital with a desperate mother who lost seven of her kids,” he said, noting that officials are conducting DNA tests to confirm identities before they can proceed with a traditional Islamic burial process.
“She’s saying to us, ‘Am I going to get my children back?’ ... It’s so hard. It’s so sad.”
Many people from Halifax’s tight-knit Muslim community had gathered at the hospital, he said.
“People want to try to help, but how can we ... how can we provide her with anything?” Haridy said. “It’s a shock. It’s a tragedy.”
The family is among the 1,795 Syrian refugees who have come to Nova Scotia in recent years, including 345 privately sponsored refugees.
Halifax Fire Deputy Chief Dave Meldrum told reporters it was the deadliest fire anyone could remember in Nova Scotia.
“Words fail when children are taken from us too soon, especially in circumstances like this,” Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said in a tweet.
“My heart goes out to the survivors of the horrible fire in Halifax this morning, and the loved ones who are mourning this tremendous loss.”
Danielle Burt, who lives next door to the Barho family on Quartz Drive, said she heard a loud bang and a woman screaming just after 12:30 a.m. Tuesday.
Burt fled the house with her four children and saw the parents outside in a harrowing scene.
“The mother was on the grass, praying I guess, bowing her hands down, and pulling on my husband’s arm to call 911,” Burt said, her voice breaking.
“She said the kids were inside and the dad was sitting on the steps. I think he had gone back in because he was really burnt. It was just awful.”
Burt said her kids had become good friends with the Barhos children.
“They were just over at our house yesterday,” she said. “It’s just something out of a horror movie that you just never would wish on anybody.”
Rich Farrell, who lives down the street, said he and other neighbours ran up to the house as soon as the fire broke out to see if they could help. First responders were not yet on scene.
“It’s so frightening, but in the space of 30 seconds, it went from what looked like a little bit of flame to the whole thing just becoming engulfed,” Farrell said, standing on his porch on a bitterly cold, sunny day.
The Barhos have been in Canada almost two years, said Imam Abdallah Yousri of the Ummah Mosque and Community Centre in Halifax.
Yousri said the family was from Raqqa, Syria, and settled in Elmsdale, north of Halifax, before moving to Halifax three months ago, he said.
Yousri said the funerals would likely be held Wednesday or Thursday.
“Our entire municipality is heartbroken and our thoughts are with the loved ones of the family,” Halifax Mayor Mike Savage said in a tweet.
Jennifer Watts, CEO of the Immigrant Services Association of Nova Scotia, said in an interview that staff members who worked with the family teaching English and providing services are heartbroken by the deaths.
“It is very, very sad this has happened ... for the Syrian community here and the wider community in Halifax,” she said.
Watts said the Barhos came to Canada from Syria after being privately sponsored by a Nova Scotia group and they were using the centre’s services.
“It’s shocking and very sad. It’s had an impact on our clients who knew them and on our staff who were working with them,” she said.
The home, which was extensively damaged in the blaze, is situated in a newly built residential neighbourhood.
Meldrum declined to speak about the nature of the fire in question.
But, he noted: “New homes are built with lightweight construction. Once fire barriers are penetrated, rapid fire spread is possible in new construction.”