Family of 6 from Amherst, N.S., dead after fire in camper

Six members of a family from Amherst, N.S., are dead following a firein a travel trailer, sayRCMP.

Firefighters were called to Mountain Road, a remote area in Millvale, N.S., on Sunday around 6:30 p.m. When they arrived, officers discovered the bodies of the family, said Cpl. Chris Marshall.

Relatives have identified the victims as R.J. Sears, 30, andMichelle Robertson, 28, and children Madison, 11; Ryder, 8; Jaxson, 4;and C.J., 3.

Police believe the familywasstaying in the camper for the weekend.

It took officers about half an hour to get to the scene as they had to travel on old logging roads, Marshall said. The fire was out when they arrived at the scene and there were no survivors.

Itwill be up to the provincial fire marshal's office to determine the cause of the fire, but police said theydo not consider the fire suspicious after a preliminary investigation. The medical examiner's office will be determining the cause of the family's deaths.

Police officers will remainat the scene to ensure no evidence is lost, said Marshall.

"It's usual, as the first agency to respond, we would essentially hold the scene and maintain security over that scene while the provincial fire marshal and the medical examiner's office then come and attend."

Millvale is a small community in Cumberland County near Westchester Valley, about 50 kilometres southeast of Amherst and the New Brunswick border.

TheChignecto-Central Regional Centre for Education, the school district for the area, said in a tweet that three of the children were students.

It said psychologists, a counsellorand student services staff will be at Cumberland North Academy, a Grade Primary to Grade 6 school in Amherst, to providesupport for the school community.

MORE TOP STORIES