‘So beautiful’: Grieving father remembers victim of Old Montreal fire, Dania Zafar

Dania Zafar, a 31-year-old who was living in Toronto, is confirmed to be one of the victims of the deadly blaze that broke out in an Old Montreal building on March 16. Seven people died in the fire.

She was in town for a short visit with her longtime friend, Saniya Khan, another victim.

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Zafar Mahmood, from Lahore, Pakistan, describes his cherished daughter Dania as a special person.

(Submitted by: Zafar Mahmood)

“The way she smiled, the way she talks gently, slowly, there was a melody in her voice,” he said.

“Each and every person, whenever they met her, they all remember her. She was so lovely. She was so beautiful. She’s so humble, all those things make us miss her so much,” he added.

An avid reader and artist from a young age, Zafar received her master’s from Kingston University in London, England.

She was self-employed and worked in publishing in Toronto and was in the process of getting her Canadian citizenship.

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“She was always dreaming,” her father said. “She had a lot larger than life aims, she wanted to do things in her own way.”

Dania and Saniya were childhood friends from Pakistan, visiting the city together and scheduled to return to Toronto the day of the fire.

“We should make sure that this is the last incident,” Mahmood said. “No other parent should be in such a suffering condition again. This should be the last.”

The other victims:

• 18-year-olds, Charlie Lacroix and Walid Belkahla
• 31-year-old, An Wu
• 35-year-old, Nathan Sears
• 76-year-old, Camille Maheux

Zafar is now working to bring his daughter’s body back to Pakistan for a burial, where he plans visit her every day.

(Submitted by: Zafar Mahmood)

“I’m trying to live by the good things that we have together, the moments we have lived together.” said Mahmood.

One of those moments: when Dania was in Pakistan six months ago, with her whole family, celebrating her brothers wedding.

“My whole life will be remembering her,” Mahmood said. “I think she’s always with me standing at my back.”