3 teens killed in Whitby house fire identified

Friends and family are mourning the loss of three teens killed in a Whitby house fire over the weekend.

CityNews has learned the victims were Ben Twiddy, 19, Hollie Towie, 17 and Holly Harrison, 18. Autopsies are scheduled for the three Monday.

Flames erupted in an upstairs apartment in the home on Dundas Street West near Cochrane Street early Sunday morning. Twiddy, who was the tenant, and the two young women were rushed to hospital where they were pronounced dead.

“They were good people, really. Best people I’ve ever known. No words can describe it,” Holly Harrison’s boyfriend Tyler Gregersen told CityNews in an exclusive interview. He was speaking at the makeshift memorial that has sprung up at the scene of the fire.

Gregersen said he had also been a friend of Ben Twiddy’s for 10 years.

“I was supposed to stay the night of the fire and I was texting Ben and Holly when it was going on and all of a sudden they stopped texting me. I just had a feeling something was wrong.”

The victims had called 911 from their cellphones. Police were apparently the first ones at the scene and an officer kicked in the door but couldn’t make it past the smoke and flames.

Investigators from the Ontario Fire Marshal’s office were at the home on Monday trying to pin down the cause of the fire and determine why the teens were unable to get out of the house, but were able to call for help.

Officials tell CityNews the home was inspected in 2008, and met all requirements for fire safety.

“It had to have smoke detectors, it had to have operating, working smoke detectors. It had to have fire separations between each unit. And it had to have exiting facilities between each unit, and from each unit. All those requirements were in place,” said Chief Mike Gerrard, Whitby Fire Service.

The first-floor tenants weren’t home at the time of the fire.

Twiddy was a grade 12 student at Anderson Vocational Institute. Towie attended Henry Street High School. Harrison was also a former student at that school.

Meanwhile, the makeshift memorial continues to grow at the scene, with friends and classmates dropping off flowers and notes of condolence.

“Ben was the best guy ever. He was so forgiving and caring,” said Katrina Rizos.

“We came to drop off flowers, and I guess, get closure.”

“They were always just happy-go-lucky, just with their friends, and they were always fun,” said friend Jeff Darby.

Loved ones are paying tribute to the victims on Facebook.

“Rest in Peace Holly. My Heart is with You Always,” wrote Ruth Smith on the “Rest in Peace Holly Towie” memorial page.

“Miss ya girl. RIP. A kiss goes to the stars. Xo,” wrote Matthew Martin Chatten on Holly Harrison’s page.

Below is witness video of the fire.