Person pronounced dead following fire at 'very complex' building in west Toronto
Investigators will soon be working to determine the cause, origin, and circumstances of a smoky fire that killed one person in Toronto’s west end Wednesday afternoon.
Around 2:10 p.m., Toronto Fire Services (TFS) was called to one-alarm fire at a commercial building at 1554 Bloor St. W, just west of Dundas Street West.
Speaking to the media at the scene on Wednesday afternoon, Deputy Fire Chief Jim Jessop said firefighters encountered flames and smoke upon arriving at the scene and immediately upgraded the incident to a second-alarm call.
“Toronto Fire Service made quick entry and started conducting our primary search while at the same time starting fire suppression activities,” he said, adding during that initial search crew members located one victim inside the building.
That individual has since been pronounced dead, Jessop said.
Emergency responders removed the victim from a second-floor window around 2:30 p.m.
“On behalf of all the women and men of Toronto Fire. I want to offer our deepest condolences and sympathies to those that have been impacted by this tragedy this afternoon,” said Jessop, who also thanked those affected for their patience.
On behalf of our entire @Toronto_Fire team, I extend condolences to family, friends and all those impacted by this tragic loss of life. Members of my command team are engaged and the investigation will commence alongside @ONFireMarshal and @TorontoPolice https://t.co/01agRzeBKb
— Matthew Pegg (@ChiefPeggTFS) June 7, 2023
At this time, TFS remains at the scene. Firefighters are continuing to ventilate and conduct overhaul of the building as they search for any remaining hotspots, he said.
Crews are now working their way through what Jessop said is a “very complex, complicated” structure.
He said status of the building, including both its occupancy at the time and any fire/life safety systems, will form part of the investigation. Jessop said he cannot comment on the location of the victim until police and the corner arrive at the scene.
Firefighters respond to a fatal fire on June 7 at a commercial building on Bloor Street West.
“I can't thank the women and men of Toronto Fire enough this was a very complex fire with a very complex building. They made entry very, very quickly," he said.
"They were in right away in high heat, smoky conditions, conducting the primary search and conducting fire suppression activity simultaneously.”
Currently, eastbound Bloor is blocked at Perth Avenue. Southbound Dundas is off limits at Boustead Avenue. Toronto police are advising drivers to expect delays. Streetcar service has also been suspended due to fire hoses on the road.
Jessop said emergency responders are working to open one lane of traffic in both directions on Bloor and Dundas in time for rush hour. All roads have since reopened.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Feds 'not interested' in investing in LNG facilities: energy minister
Energy and Natural Resources Minister Jonathan Wilkinson says the federal government is 'not interested' in subsidizing future liquefied natural gas (LNG) projects, including the electrification of projects currently in the works.
Chants of 'shame on you' greet guests arriving for the annual White House correspondents' dinner
An election-year roast of U.S. President Joe Biden before journalists, celebrities and politicians at the annual White House correspondents' dinner Saturday.
Global measles cases nearly doubled in one year, researchers say
The number of measles cases around the world nearly doubled from 2022 to 2023, researchers say, presenting a challenge to efforts to achieve and maintain elimination status in many countries.
Fair share: the right office solution can take finding the right partner
The rise of remote and hybrid work has made it harder to justify a full office, so more are leaning on co-working spaces that they share with many others for convenience and cost savings. The choice, however, comes at the expense of privacy and control.
What Trudeau's podcast appearances say about the Liberals' next ballot box question
Trudeau recently appeared on four podcasts as he travels the country talking up the Liberals' latest budget, which he's pitching as a plan to inject more economic fairness into society for those under 40 — a cohort that has kept Trudeau in power since 2015 but is increasingly turning to Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre.
Aerial photos show wide devastation left by tornado in China's Guangzhou
Aerial photos posted by Chinese state media on Sunday showed the wide devastation of a part of the southern city of Guangzhou after a tornado swept through the day before, killing five people, injuring dozens others and damaging over a hundred buildings.
Russian drones set a hotel ablaze in a Ukrainian Black Sea city
Russian drones early Sunday struck the Black Sea city of Mykolaiv, setting a hotel ablaze and damaging energy infrastructure, the local Ukrainian governor reported, while ammunition shortages continued to hobble Kyiv's troops in the more than two-year-old war.
A munitions explosion at a Cambodian army base kills 20 soldiers, but its cause is unclear
Security was tight around a military base in southwestern Cambodia on Sunday, a day after a huge explosion there killed 20 soldiers, wounded others and damaged nearby houses.
Deadly six-vehicle crash on Highway 400 sparked by road rage incident
One person was killed in a six-vehicle crash on Highway 400 in Innisfil Friday evening.