The Office of the Fire Marshal has confirmed there were no working smoke alarms in the unit that went up in flames and claimed the life of Krestine Collins, a mother of two.

“There were no working smoke alarms in the unit - the delayed notification allowed the fire to develop at such points that escape was impossible for people in the unit," said Jeff Tebby, a supervisor with Ontario's Office of the Fire Marshal.

The fire broke-out at approximately 11:22 p.m on New Year's Day at the semi-detached home on Park Crescent in Tottenham.

Collins’ husband Matt and teenage son Dylan barely escaped the blaze. The couple’s daughter wasn’t home at the time.

The cause of the blaze is still unknown, but investigators have deemed it as accidental.

Officials believe the fire started in the basement where new appliances had been installed.

“We’re looking at the east side aspect of the basement for the origin of the fire,” said Tebby. "We are looking for ignition sources in that area."

Investigators with the Office of the Fire Marshal and the Office of the Coroner were expected to wrap up their investigation at the scene by the end of Friday.