Richmond Hill, ON — A fire at a residence in Richmond Hill in the early hours of September 1 has been declared a homicide after it claimed the lives of two people and left three others in critical condition.

York Regional Police responded to reports of a house fire near Skywood Drive and Rollinghill Road at approximately 3:15 a.m. Five victims were found, four inside the home and one outside.

The first fatality was an 11-year-old girl. Later, 24-year-old Helya Bahari-Kashani also died from her injuries. The three remaining victims are hospitalized in critical condition.

Police confirm the fire is believed to be arson, and the case is under investigation by the Homicide Unit. They are appealing to anyone who was in the area around the time of the fire to check their dash cams or security camera footage for anything that might assist with the investigation.

A community vigil was held at French Royalist Park in honour of those lost in the fire.