Police are looking for suspects after three Cabbagetown homes were set ablaze early Tuesday morning.
Residents were shaken after they narrowly escaped from the burning townhomes on Ontario Street
The Fire Marshal's Office determined the fire was started in a garbage can near one of the residences. Teenagers were heard in the alley just after the fire broke out.
"It was not a smoldering fire, such as a cigarette butt or smoldering garbage. This was definitely an open flame such as matches or a lighter," fire investigator Tom Hutton told CTV News on Tuesday.
The fire broke out on the back deck of one of the homes and quickly spread into the attic and the neighbouring residences.
The extreme heat and humidity made it difficult for fire fighters to control the blaze.
Neighbours in the adjacent apartment building spotted the flames and alerted the residents.
The extent of the damage is estimated at $7,000 to $8,000 for each home.
"There are 11 of us and 11 units and we're all really really close. It devastates everyone. The guys next door have moved in with the neighbours down the street just to get some rest," said one resident in the area on Tuesday.
The blaze comes just a week after 200 firefighters scrambled to put out seven fires within a few blocks in the densely-populated Christie Pitts neighbourhood.
Toronto Fire Services said the fact that the fires were all set in the same area makes them suspect arson.
No arrests have been made in either investigation.
With a report from CTV's Roger Petersen
