One adult in life-threatening condition after 4-alarm blaze at Toronto apartment building
One person has life-threatening injuries and three others have minor injuries following a four-alarm blaze in Toronto’s west end on Saturday morning.
At around 6:15 a.m., fire crews responded to a fire at a three-storey, multi-unit apartment building at 828 Shaw St., north of Bloor Street.
"Upon arrival we were met with heavy smoke and flames. The fire quickly escalated," Acting Fire Chief Jim Jessop told reporters at the scene.
There were reports of black smoke and flames coming from the second floor and roof of the building, fire officials said.
Jessop said 11 people were rescued from the burning building and four were transported to hospital.
One adult sustained life-threatening injuries and the three others had minor injuries.
The cause of the fire is unknown.
As of 10 a.m., Jessop said crews were still working to knock down the fire.
"We've had a number of internal collapses. We still have not completed our primary and secondary searches throughout the entire building. And we are just actively fighting the fire at this time," he said.
With this morning's temperature feeling like -30 with the wind chill, Jessop said crews are working in extremely tough conditions.
"There is no doubt, as you can appreciate, the coldest day of the year. The women and men of Toronto Fire right now are just performing admirably in these very, very difficult conditions. A number of pieces of our equipment are freezing. Obviously, very, very cold but we will be here all day."
The Canadian Red Cross has attended the scene to assist with providing shelter.
Roads are closed in the area as fire crews investigate.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Quebec nurse had to clean up after husband's death in Montreal hospital
On a night she should have been mourning, a nurse from Quebec's Laurentians region says she was forced to clean up her husband after he died at a hospital in Montreal.
Northern Ont. lawyer who abandoned clients in child protection cases disbarred
A North Bay, Ont., lawyer who abandoned 15 clients – many of them child protection cases – has lost his licence to practise law.
Bank of Canada officials split on when to start cutting interest rates
Members of the Bank of Canada's governing council were split on how long the central bank should wait before it starts cutting interest rates when they met earlier this month.
Maple Leafs fall to Bruins in Game 3, trail series 2-1
Brad Marchand scored twice, including the winner in the third period, and added an assist as the Boston Bruins downed the Toronto Maple Leafs 4-2 to take a 2-1 lead in their first-round playoff series Wednesday
Cuban government apologizes to Montreal-area family after delivering wrong body
Cuba's foreign affairs minister has apologized to a Montreal-area family after they were sent the wrong body following the death of a loved one.
'It was instant karma': Viral video captures failed theft attempt in Nanaimo, B.C.
Mounties in Nanaimo, B.C., say two late-night revellers are lucky their allegedly drunken antics weren't reported to police after security cameras captured the men trying to steal a heavy sign from a downtown business.
What is changing about Canada's capital gains tax and how does it impact me?
The federal government's proposed change to capital gains taxation is expected to increase taxes on investments and mainly affect wealthy Canadians and businesses. Here's what you need to know about the move.
New Indigenous loan guarantee program a 'really big deal,' Freeland says at Toronto conference
Canada's Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland was among the 1,700 delegates attending the two-day First Nations Major Projects Coalition (FNMPC) conference that concluded Tuesday in Toronto.
'Life was not fair to him': Daughter of N.B. man exonerated of murder remembers him as a kind soul
The daughter of a New Brunswick man recently exonerated from murder, is remembering her father as somebody who, despite a wrongful conviction, never became bitter or angry.