Four-alarm fire damages five homes in North York; no injuries reported

Five homes have been damaged after a fire broke out at a townhouse complex in North York on Tuesday evening.

Toronto Fire said crews were called to Montello Drive in the area of Keele Street and Finch Avenue West just shortly after 7 p.m.

Upon arrival, they encountered several homes on fire. Viewer video shows a large plume of black smoke being blown by strong winds and visible flames on the roofs.

The response quickly escalated from a two-alarm to a four-alarm blaze.

Deputy Fire Chief Jim Jessop said crews were able to conduct primary searches of the homes affected, and no one was found injured.

"The crews did amazing coming in… (They) set up aerial operations. We had crews on the front and the rear immediately. We could have lost a number of more homes," he said.

Crews have stopped the spread to other properties and the bulk of the fire has been knocked down.

"They're inside ripping down ceilings, pulling out insulation and making sure that the fire is stopped," Jessop said. "We'll be here all night long."

He added that the windy conditions played a role in the fire extending into other homes.

"When you've got a strong wind like this, it obviously accelerates the fire. It feeds in a lot more oxygen, and it absolutely contributes to its spread to other units, which is what has happened," Jessop said.

Crews will be using thermal imaging to ensure that the fire is fully extinguished. It is unclear how many residents have been displaced due to the incident.

The cause and origin of the fire are unknown.