Nov 21, 2025
A tragic house fire at 12 Banas Way in Brampton early Thursday morning has claimed two lives, left four residents in critical condition at several Greater Toronto Area hospitals, and triggered a large-scale emergency response as investigators continue to assess the heavily damaged structure. Firefighters arrived shortly after 2:30 a.m. to find the home engulfed in flames with structural collapse, creating extremely hazardous conditions and restricting access to interior areas.
Among those transported to hospital were a five year old child and several adults. Neighbours reported multiple occupants living in the residence, including individuals in lower level or subdivided spaces. Because the fire resulted in fatalities, the investigation is being led by the Office of the Fire Marshal, which takes lead responsibility when a fire involves loss of life, major structural failure or potential fire code implications. Heavy equipment remains on site to allow safe entry into collapsed sections of the building.
City officials confirmed that the property had been the subject of previous building and fire safety orders.
By early afternoon, Mayor Patrick Brown and Regional Councillor Michael Palleschi, the local ward representative, were on site and provided an update to media. They were joined by officials from Brampton Fire, City Bylaw Enforcement, Peel Regional Police and the Office of the Fire Marshal. The Mayor expressed condolences to the families affected and praised first responders for their coordinated work under extremely dangerous conditions. He noted that the homeowner had applied for a permit to create a secondary unit and that follow up by inspectors resulted in an Order to Comply when required inspections were not requested. He reaffirmed the City’s commitment to addressing landlords who fail to meet building and fire safety standards and pledged full support to affected residents.
Later in the afternoon, at 4:51 p.m., Mayor Brown issued the following public update on Twitter:
“Our city is grieving today. In the early hours of the morning, a devastating house fire claimed two lives, sent four residents to hospital, and left others unaccounted for. Our hearts are with the victims, their families, and the entire neighbourhood during this heartbreaking time.
The fire is now under control, though the scene remains an active investigation. Structural collapse has made access difficult, and heavy equipment is being brought in to safely continue search and investigation efforts.
We know this home had a history of compliance issues, and the City had issued multiple orders to follow building and fire safety requirements. While it is too early to determine the exact cause or whether fire code violations contributed, this tragedy underscores why Brampton continues to take strong action against illegal and unsafe rental units.
I want to acknowledge the incredible courage of the residents who escaped, including a five year old child who leapt from the second floor to survive. Their bravery is nothing short of remarkable.
Our community mourns together, and we will do everything we can to prevent tragedies like this from ever happening again.”
Regional Councillor Navjit Kaur Brar, who also represents Wards 2 and 6, issued her own statement offering condolences to the families of the deceased and the critically injured residents, including the young child. She also thanked Brampton Fire and Emergency Services for their swift response.
The incident has renewed city wide concern about unsafe rental housing. Brampton’s Residential Rental Licensing program, introduced as a pilot in select wards, requires landlords with one to four rental units to obtain a licence and meet safety and inspection requirements. The pilot applies only to certain wards and does not include Ward 6, where this fire occurred, meaning rental properties in this neighbourhood are not subject to the mandatory licensing and inspection regime in place elsewhere in the city.
The City’s RRL Task Force, composed of Councillors Rowena Santos, Dennis Keenan and Rod Power, has focused on unsafe rental conditions, chronic non compliance, overcrowded illegal units and scenarios where inspectors face obstruction. Its 2024 public update, presented during a City press conference, outlined thousands of inspections completed, hundreds of violations issued and significant penalties levied as part of an ongoing effort to curb slum landlords and strengthen rental safety in Brampton. The tragic fire at 12 Banas Way has renewed city wide discussion about rental housing safety and intensified calls for Council to consider expanding the licensing program across all wards to ensure every neighbourhood receives the same level of oversight.
2024 RRL press conference video:
The investigation at 12 Banas Way will continue under the direction of the Office of the Fire Marshal, supported by Peel Regional Police, Brampton Fire and Emergency Services, structural engineers and City enforcement officials. The City is providing support to affected residents and remains in close contact with the neighbourhood as the community copes with this loss.