SEVEN children, all members of a Syrian refugee family, died early Tuesday in a fast-moving house fire described as the deadliest blaze in Nova Scotia in recent memory.

The father, Ebraheim Barho, was reported fighting for his life after apparently trying in vain to save his children, who ranged in age from about 3 months to the mid-teens. The mother, Kawthar Barho, also was hospitalized with injuries but was expected to survive.

In an interview from the hospital, Imam Wael Haridy of the Nova Scotia Islamic Community Center said the Barhos had fled Syria’s civil war.

“We’re here in hospital with a desperate mother who lost seven of her kids,” Haridy said, adding: “She’s saying to us, ‘Am I going to get my children back?’ ... It’s so hard. It’s so sad.”

He said officials were conducting DNA tests to confirm the identities of the dead children before they can proceed with a traditional Islamic burial process.

The family was among 1,795 Syrian refugees who have come to Nova Scotia in recent years.

“Everyone is devastated, and our loss pales in comparison to the parents,” said Natalie Horne, vice president of the Hants East Assisting Refugees Team.

Horne said the family arrived Sept. 29, 2017. She said the family lived in Elmsdale, Nova Scotia, for over a year before moving to Halifax to be closer to refugee support services, such as English-language training.

(SD-Agencies)