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An extended Richmond Hill family of five remain in critical condition as fire investigators sift through their burned home.
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The mysterious fire occurred on Monday morning around 3 a.m. at the spacious home located on Skywood Dr. and Rollinghill Rd.
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Those victims — still fighting for their lives in hospital — are a 70-year-old man, three woman, ages 59, 42 and one in her 20s, and a child under 12.
Four investigators with the Office of the Fire Marshal were at the home Tuesday, digging through charred debris and tossing insulation out the missing front window of the family room where they were possibly searching for the point of origin of the fire.
The front door area was completely gone with heavy streaking and soot marks at the top of it — along with “clean burn” marks where the front bay window once stood.
The home appeared to have been fitted with several surveillance cameras at the rear and along the sides of the home. There were also security lights, plus a front door doorbell cam.
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Jude, a neighbour who lives down the street, said Tuesday that he came out to see all the mayhem Monday morning after his golden doodle, Teddy, woke him up with his barking.
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“I came out and saw lights and fire (trucks) and I’m like ‘Oh, my gosh,” said Jude. “I go across the street and see the first house down the street is on fire.”
He said he stood there watching firefighters battle the blaze at the front of the home for some time.
“And then I saw them pull somebody out. It’s very unfortunate and very sad,” said Jude.
He said he believes the family moved into the home about 10 years ago.
OFM investigator Jim Kettles said on Monday “firefighters went inside the house and they rescued four people.”
Other neighbours along the street, who would not go by name, said they would see the family while out walking dogs or for a jog.
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.
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