5 from Punjab family killed in tragic Brampton house fire; Ludhiana village in mourning

A pall of gloom has descended on Guram village in Ludhiana district after five members of a local family died in a devastating house fire at their residence in Brampton, Canada, about a week ago.

Among the deceased was the unborn child of Arashveer Kaur, who survived by jumping from the roof but suffered severe injuries that resulted in a miscarriage.

Happy Shankar, a close relative of the family, said that Jugraj Singh was the only member of the joint family present in the Brampton home at the time of the incident who managed to escape the blaze that broke out last Thursday.

His mother-in-law, an unmarried sister-in-law, a niece and his wife’s cousin all perished in the fire. His wife, Arashveer Kaur, sustained injuries after leaping from the rooftop in a desperate attempt to save her life.

Former sarpanch of Shankar village, Ranvir Singh Mehmi, confirmed that one of the deceased was an unmarried woman from the village who was burned alive inside the house. He added that many members of the family had migrated to different parts of Canada in recent years. Several relatives still living in Punjab have now left for Canada after receiving the tragic news.

“As the family and close relatives remain in deep shock, no decision has been taken yet regarding the last rites of the deceased,” Mehmi said, expressing sorrow that a farming family who had moved abroad seeking better prospects has been devastated by a tragedy beyond their control.