Quebec police say fire that killed six, including four children, likely not criminal

SAINT-JACQUES, QUE. -

Provincial police say they believe that a fire that killed six members of a family on Thursday in Quebec's Lanaudiere region was likely accidental.

A police spokesperson says investigators have completed their analysis of the scene at the home in St-Jacques, Que., and have begun working to identify the bodies.

Sgt. Eloise Cossette says there was nothing immediately suspicious about the fire and police are assisting the coroner in its investigation.

Cossette says the victims were a man and a woman in their 20s, and four children ranging in age from about two months to eight years.

Authorities have not formally identified the victims, but friends and relatives have confirmed their identities in a number of social media posts paying tribute to the family and raising money for funeral costs.

Firefighters initially discovered four bodies while responding to a blaze in St-Jacques around 1 a.m. Thursday, and provincial police found two more bodies during a search of the ruins.

- This report by The Canadian Press was first published on Feb. 10, 2023