In remembrance of seven members of the same family who died in a house fire early Friday, special prayers were offered at Calgary’s Green Dome mosque and the Chestermere Islamic Centre east of the city. According to Imam Syed Soharwardy of the Islamic Supreme Council of Canada, members of the family watched livestreams of the ceremonies, some of whom had just arrived in Alberta from Ontario in the aftermath of the tragedy.
According to Soharwardy, who knows the family, they are still in shock. In a statement, Chestermere Mayor Marshall Chalmers stated that “words cannot accurately reflect the sorrow on (the) town.” According to Soharwardy, a man and his wife and children from Ontario were living at the residence with his brother and his brother’s wife and children when the fire broke out early Friday.
The RCMP has stated that the cause of the fire is being investigated, but preliminary findings do not indicate that it was deliberately ignited. “Anyone who died as a result of these kinds of disasters is considered a martyr in our Islamic terminology,” Soharwardy said in an interview Saturday.
“Everyone is in a state of deep sadness. It’s unfathomable that seven members of this family were killed in this sad catastrophe.” A man and a woman, both 38, a woman around 35 years old, a boy and a girl aged 12, an eight-year-old girl, and a four-year-old kid are among the seven dead, according to police.
According to Soharwardy, the majority of the family’s relatives live in Pakistan. The family, in a statement released through Imad Ali Syed, asked for patience as the inquiry continues. “The family is upset over the events that occurred and would prefer some privacy while they grieve for this awful loss,” according to the statement.
“The family’s extended family and friends are with them and supporting them during this difficult time.” Chalmers expressed gratitude to emergency responders and thanked Albertans for their thoughts and prayers. “While many will feel helpless in the face of such tragedy,” the mayor said in a statement. “All we can do is join together to grieve, listen, and assist those impacted.”
“And I am confident that the people of Chestermere will respond with the greatest outpouring of affection possible.”