The owner of the Brampton home where four members of a family were killed in a devastating fire last week is denying claims that they were an “absentee landlord,” saying in a statement that they are heartbroken by the tragedy and rejecting allegations that the property was illegally altered or improperly managed.
The blaze broke out around 2:15 a.m. on Nov. 20 at 12 Banas Way, near McLaughlin Road and Remembrance Road. Three women and a toddler died, while a pregnant woman who leapt from a window survived but lost her unborn child. Eleven people were living in the house at the time, including nine members of a multigenerational family and two occupants of the basement.
Through their lawyer, Sukhi Baidwan, the landlord said the incident has subjected them to “intense media scrutiny,” but insisted they have been unfairly portrayed. Brampton Mayor Patrick Brown had publicly described the owner as an “absentee landlord” who lives outside Canada, and said city records show a 2019 building permit was never followed up with a required inspection. Brown also stated the home was not licensed for multiple tenants and that city orders were ignored.
Baidwan disputed those claims, saying the home has undergone no construction or alterations since being purchased directly from the builder over a decade ago. He said the property was originally built as a four-bedroom house with a partially finished basement containing a rec room, bathroom and fifth bedroom — all approved as part of the original construction.
The landlord says the home was legally leased in March 2023 for $3,100 per month, with the agreement allowing four adults and one child to live there. The owner claims they had no knowledge that additional people were living at the address and maintained regular contact with a principal tenant. According to Baidwan, the tenants had already given notice to vacate by Nov. 30, and the landlord had been on-site with a real estate agent on Oct. 23 as part of plans to sell the home.
The landlord also denies having been aware of any city inspection requests or refusing access to inspectors. They strongly rejected suggestions that they blamed tenants for the fire, calling such claims “morally wrong.” Baidwan emphasized that no one should be assigning blame to victims of a tragic event while investigations are ongoing.
Fire officials confirmed that alarms were present in the home, though it remains unclear if they were functioning at the time. The cause of the fire has not yet been determined, and Ontario’s Office of the Fire Marshal continues to investigate.