2 other children ‘fighting for their lives,’ says family friend

A six-year-old girl has died and two other children are “fighting for their lives” following a duplex fire early Saturday morning in Lower Sackville, N.S., says a family friend.

Alyssa Porter, who started an online fundraiser following the incident, said the family is now facing a “long road to recovery.”

“When a house burns down and family members are lost and things like that, there’s no real way to be at this point for anyone,” she said.

Three children, aged 5, 6, and 9, and a 40-year-old man were taken to the hospital after crews responded to a fire at a home on Riverside Drive around 3:12 a.m. Saturday.

The six-year-old girl, who is a relative, has died, while the other two children are still receiving medical care, said Porter. The 40-year-old man, meanwhile, is in stable condition.

A vigil will be held outside the family’s home on Sunday evening, she said, and people are encouraged to bring teddy bears, flowers, and “anything they can to help.”

“The amount of support that has been pouring in in the last 24 hours …  I’m just totally amazed,” she said.

According to Halifax Regional Fire, there is no indication the fire is suspicious. An investigation is ongoing, officials said.