A 10-year-old boy has died and as many as 100 people are homeless after a fire tore through a townhouse complex on Ardglen Drive early Sunday morning.

The child was at the home for a sleepover, Peel Regional Police Const. Lily Fitzpatrick said, but his family lives in the area. People who knew the boy identified him as Nicolas Gabriel.

“Obviously they are completely devastated at this point,” she said of Nicolas’s family.

“It’s a very, very fresh wound for them. They need some time to collect themselves and deal with this horrible blow.”

Two hundred to 300 people were forced from their homes and 18 units were “profoundly destroyed” in the blaze, said Fitzpatrick.

Fire officials suspect the blaze started in the kitchen of one of the units around 3 a.m. and spread throughout the complex in the Queen Street and Kennedy Road area.

The fire has been knocked down, but it is still active in some spots and crews remain on the scene.

Those forced out of their homes were being helped by Peel Region social services and the Salvation Army. Temporary accommodation was being arranged for those who needed it.

Just before 4 p.m., Peel police said residents of 57 and 61 Ardglen Dr. had been allowed back into their homes.

Earlier, officials had said it might be a day or two before residents could return.

“It’s very difficult to say when they’ll be able to go back because for them to go back to their homes it has to be safe for them to do so,” said Fitzpatrick.

“There are going to be immediate needs and social services are going to see that they are taken care of.”

The Ontario Fire Marshal’s office, Peel police and the coroner’s office are all investigating the incident.

How you can help

The victims already have enough food, clothing and toiletries, the City of Brampton says. To donate funds, go to Regeneration Outreach Community.

Private food trucks are also appearing on the scene.

“Working side by side with the Salvation Army I feed the people of Brampton fire,” said Danny Raposo of Big D’s House of Munch food trucks on Instagram.

Big fire in Brampton pic.twitter.com/ND4zJnYgiB — Chris (@nber1969) June 8, 2014

With files from The Canadian Press