'Heartbreaking': Four children killed in Thompson, Man. house fire

Four children have died after a fire broke out in a Thompson, Man., home Wednesday night.

Thompson RCMP were dealing with a call in the 100 block of Queens Bay when they heard noise coming from another home down the street.

RCMP said officers could see smoke coming from the home.

Fire crews were called and found the home fully engulfed in flames.

A 41-year-old woman and a 62-year-old man, along with a 13-year-old girl were all able to escape the home. However, the woman told emergency crews that there were still four children inside the home on the second floor.

Crews were able to get the fire under control and found the four children inside. They were all taken to hospital but later died of their injuries.

“I offer my sincere condolences to the family, to the community, and to everyone who is grieving today. This is a heartbreaking tragedy that will have a lasting impact on so many within Thompson and throughout the entire province,” said Assistant Commissioner Rob Hill, Commanding Officer of the Manitoba RCMP, in a news release.

Family have identified the children as Helen Joy Keeper, Leon Keeper Jr., Big Bear Keeper and Rowan Thomas. RCMP said the children were 10, 9, 7, and 4 years old, respectively.

Shirley Robinson, a cousin of the family and a band councillor for Cross Lake First Nation, called the tragedy, “heartbreaking.”

“I’ve been crying on and off as I’ve been driving on this road,” she said Thursday on her way home from Winnipeg.

Robinson said the four children were close with each other and their family.

“They were so full of life,” she said. “They were very playful, joyful, and they welcomed you with a hug and a kiss when you saw them. You know, it's so unfortunate that they're gone today.”

RCMP said the two adults and the 13-year-old girl were all taken to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

The cause of the fire has not been determined and RCMP, along with the Office of the Fire Commissioner continue to investigate.

Eric Redhead, the NDP MLA for Thompson, offered condolences to the community at the Manitoba Legislature.

“Thompson is a very tight-knit community, so we know this is going to have a ripple effect across the community,” he said during a scrum following question period.

Redhead said he will be heading up to Thompson to meet with the family and the community.

“It’s important to be there because these are four young children who have lost their lives to a preventable tragedy,” he said. “As a father myself, I can’t even fathom that. I want to show my support to the family and the community of Thompson, that I’m going to be there through thick and thin.”

-With files from CTV's Devon McKendrick.