The third of four people caught in a weekend fire in Drummondville has died, as a mother of three passed away after two of her sons died.

Berthe Koumabeng, 36, died Sunday night after sons, Julien, 4, and Flavien, 7, perished in the blaze.

The children's father Jean Claude Okenge was at work when the blaze struck the residence Friday.

A newborn son, about one week old, is the only of the four in the second floor duplex to have survived the fire. The child remains in critical condition.

The family moved to Canada and settled in Drummondville as refugees from the Congo two years ago.

The infant remains in critical condition at a Quebec City-area hospital according to Sgt. Hugo Fournier, of the SQ provincial police.

When the boys' father Jean Claude Okenge was told what happened, he went into shock and had to be transported to hospital for shock, police said.

The fire broke out Friday evening at about 6:30 p.m. in an apartment in a two-storey building at 534A des Ecoles St. In Drummondville.

The flames were contained to the second floor apartment and caused heavy damage. The cause of the fire is still under investigation.

“The buildings in the area are old and pretty much everyone knows each other. It's sad news that touches us all,” said neighbour Jocelyn Boisvert.

The building's landlord told CTV Montreal all the apartments have smoke detectors, but authorities have not been able to confirm whether it was functional when the fire broke out.