Toronto Police say the death of a 72-year-old woman after a North York apartment fire over the weekend is a homicide.
Emergency crews responded to the fire on Yonge Street, near Cummer Avenue, at about 1:15 p.m. Saturday. The woman’s body was pulled from a bedroom of a second floor apartment unit after fire crews had extinguished the blaze. Police say the woman was pronounced dead at the scene.
Det. Sgt. Terry Browne of the Toronto Police homicide squad said an autopsy was conducted on the woman’s body Sunday, and the cause of death is pending.
"I believe this woman was the victim of foul play," Browne told reporters Monday afternoon. He said the fire had multiple points of origin in the apartment unit and the victim’s body showed signs of trauma.
Fire officials said a couch in the living room was on fire, and there was a second fire down the hall from the apartment unit.
Browne said investigators have been granted a warrant to search the apartment unit and police officers are canvassing the area.
Woman was known to police
Police have not confirmed the woman’s identity. Browne said she did not have any next-of-kin in Canada.
"If this is the person we believe her to be, we believe she originates from Poland," Browne said. "She was living in the unit with her mother who recently died."
Police believe she was using a walker and had mobility issues. She was involved in the sex trade industry and was known to police from incidents dating back to 1997 and 2000.
"Those charges centred around the sex trade," Browne said.
He stressed, however, that because the charges are dated and the victim was 72-years-old, investigators have “no idea whether (those charges) have anything to do with (the fire) whatsoever.”
Browne said investigators do not know if she was still involved in the sex trade industry before her death. According to neighbours, she had many visitors.
"She always had people over, helping her out," Natasha Pirimova, a second-floor resident, told CTV Toronto. "I think she had a daughter who would always help her out…just all these people coming over to her place."
Browne said investigators believe the fire was an isolated incident.
"There's no need for other residents of the building to concern themselves at this point," Browne said.
According to security footage obtained by investigators, a man was on the second floor of the apartment building approximately one hour before the fire. He is seen again exiting the apartment shortly after the building’s superintendent called 911.
"I’m not suggesting this person had any involvement. We don’t know who this person is, but it’s somebody we’d like to identify and speak to," Browne said.
He is described as black, in his mid-20s and was last seen wearing a white t-shirt, plaid shorts, white running shoes and a baseball cap with a mostly grey-coloured brim.
Anyone with information is asked to contact Toronto police at 416-808-7400 or Crime Stoppers at 416-222-TIPS (8477).
With a report from CTV Toronto's Tamara Cherry
