A fire at the home of a condo board member tied up in a neighbourhood dispute was deliberately set, police said.
A man and his wife were sleeping in their condo in a two-storey townhouse on Grandravine Drive in North York, near Jane Street and Finch Avenue, when they were awakened by a loud bang.
Toronto Fire Platoon Chief Trevor Trotter said the couple found flames coming from the first floor kitchen area, and the house quickly filled up with smoke.
They were able to escape and call for help, and then were transported to a nearby hospital to be treated for smoke inhalation.
When firefighters arrived on the scene they extinguished the fire and rescued a couple of cats and a dog, Trotter said.
While investigating, they discovered "suspicious" evidence and called the Officer of the Fire Marshal to investigate.
Trotter said it appeared that the kitchen window was smashed, and there was evidence of an incendiary device in the kitchen.
Police later said that butane lighters and accelerants were found in the area.
One witness told police he'd seen a person outside of the window just before the fire started, and police said a suspect was seen fleeing the area.
Another witness at the scene told CP24's Cam Woolley that one of the homeowners is a member of the condo board, and there is an ongoing dispute among residents. The witness said that there was a petition being circulated to remove the homeowner from the board.
