HALIFAX — The father of seven children killed in a ferocious fire remains in a coma, a month after flames engulfed their Halifax home.
Muslim community leaders say Ebraheim Barho has undergone multiple surgeries and remains in the intensive care unit of a Halifax hospital with his wife Kawthar at his side.
Sheikh Wael Haridy of the Nova Scotia Islamic Community Centre says the grief-stricken mother is struggling with the loss of her children, who ranged in age from three months to their teens, while her husband remains in coma.
Imam Abdallah Yousri of the Ummah Mosque says the community continues to wait and pray for his recovery.
Although some relatives of the Syrian refugee family have arrived in Canada to offer support, efforts are still underway to bring more family members.
Halifax deputy fire Chief David Meldrum says there are no updates on the investigation into the tragic house fire in the Spryfield neighbourhood.
Once a cause has been determined, he says Halifax Fire and Emergency will hold a news conference to share the details with the public.
The home on Quartz Drive was torn down earlier this month. All that remains at the grim site is the concrete foundation.
Meldrum says he cannot comment on an ongoing investigation or the reason for any possible delay, but says "it's fair to say that in the course of fire investigations generally, interviewing witnesses who may have information is an obvious item of importance to us."
Ebraheim Barho was rushed to hospital on Feb. 19 suffering from extensive burns and was placed in a medically induced coma.
A GoFundMe campaign has raised more than $700,000 for the family.