Toronto Fire Crews remained on scene Saturday afternoon during a complex fire at a high-rise building at Thorncliffe Park Dr. and Overlea Boulevard. The fires continued to burn behind the walls, and officials still could not tell residents when they would be able to return home.
Toronto firefighters said they have made “positive” progress, but access to the fire remains extremely difficult.
Acting Division Chief Robert Houston said firefighters had been “actively battling the persistent fire” for more than 48 hours and that early in the response they discovered “high levels of carbon monoxide throughout the building.”
All 408 units in the two towers were evacuated. No injuries reported.
The Red Cross is providing emergency assistance, delivering shelter and food to 117 families and 239 individuals as of Saturday morning.
Officials said residents were relocated from the original center to hotels.
One of the displaced is single mother Mohami Muhammad, who now lives with her daughter in a hotel in the Don Valley.
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They were given a food card, but guaranteed housing only until December 2.
“You have to take it one day at a time,” Muhammad told Global News.
Her daughter Aisha learned about the fire from the school principal.
“I just hope we can go home soon,” she said, adding that the experience was deeply devastating. “I didn't expect it. I just thought it was going to be a normal day until I got the call.” She was allowed to enter briefly and pick up her school supplies.
Another resident, Nihal Shaikh, said his wife called him while he was at work and told him the building was being evacuated. They have a two-month-old baby and two other small children.
“It all happened suddenly,” he said. “It was so chaotic.”
He said rescuers escorted him upstairs to get his medication and diapers. “We don't know what's going on…we're just hearing from the fire department and the police.”
Houston said temperatures and carbon monoxide levels have “successfully dropped” but crews are still “not following the fire… right behind the walls,” instead relying on heat readings and air monitoring.
He confirmed there is “no time frame” for when residents will be able to return. “We just don't see anything. We're trying to mitigate the situation.”
Earlier Friday, Fire Chief Jim Jessop said the fire was fueled by insulation burning “slowly” between the walls of both towers, creating “high levels of carbon monoxide” due to “incomplete combustion.” Crews recorded readings of 850 parts per million, a life-threatening level.
Jessop said he expected it to be a “long-term phenomenon” and did not know when it would be brought under control. Even if this happens, firefighters will still need another 24 hours to make sure there are no fires.
Crews were first called around 1.30pm on Thursday to reports of “light smoke” on several floors at 11 Thorncliffe Park Dr. before the fire spread to the adjacent building at 21 Overlea Boulevard.
City officials thanked the rescuers and urged any remaining displaced residents to contact the Red Cross, saying, “The most important thing is that everyone in this community is safe.”
– With files from Gabby Rodriguez
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