Friends of an Oshawa, Ont., family said they feared for the worst Monday as four people remained unaccounted for following a fire that tore through several rowhouses.
Aaron Clague said his friend lived in one of the homes and managed to escape with his wife and their youngest son after the flames broke out in the early hours of the morning.
"He told the kids to follow them. They didn't get out," Clague said. "The assumption is the worst right now."
The wife and son were treated in hospital, but their condition is unknown, Clague said.
Sharon Powell, another family friend, said she came to the home after hearing about the blaze.
"All I could think of is the children and hoping they made it out," she said.
Authorities have not identified the four people who remain unaccounted for, and would not say whether any are children.
However, fire officials said they believe all those injured in the fire were from the same home.
In all, residents from seven homes have been displaced, they said.
Fire Chief Derrick Clark said the most damaged home had nine occupants, five of whom were sent to hospital for treatment. One remains in hospital but the others have since been discharged, he said.
"We've got four residents unaccounted for and, you know, at this time it's not looking like it's going to have a positive end, but we're going to continue our investigations," he said.
Clark said the blaze had caused extensive structural damage, making the units too dangerous for fire crews to enter for the time being.
"The structure is extremely unstable right now. The fire was very, very intense, very difficult for our firefighters last night, and it's going to take us some while to get things sorted out," he said.
The chief said the injured were treated for smoke inhalation, burns and cuts.
He also noted that some residents of the units were being sheltered at a local hotel and were receiving aid from the Red Cross and social service agencies.
There was no immediate word on the cause of the blaze, but Clark said the Ontario Fire Marshal and Durham Regional Police were investigating as well.