Fire crews in Toronto are currently engaged in battling a challenging four-alarm fire at a high-rise complex located at 11 Thorncliffe Park Drive, near Overlea Boulevard. The incident has led to the displacement of numerous residents due to rising concerns over high levels of carbon monoxide within the buildings.

Emergency services received the call about the fire at approximately 1:36 p.m. on Thursday afternoon. Initial investigations suggest that the origin of the fire was an electrical issue that sparked on the P1 parking level, eventually escalating to the interior walls of the structure.

In a detailed update provided by Toronto Fire Commander Robert Hewson, it was reported that the fire is progressing through the wall's insulation material, with smoke traveling to a neighboring building located at 21 Thorncliffe Park Drive. Commander Hewson emphasized the stubborn nature of the fire, noting, “There is insulation burning in between the walls. It’s a very stubborn and slow fire.”

As the situation unfolded, Toronto Hydro took preventive measures by shutting off the power and gas supplies to both affected buildings. In response to the emergency, the Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) dispatched buses to provide temporary shelter for the evacuated residents.

Due to the elevated levels of carbon monoxide detected within both structures, urgent evacuations were implemented across several floors. Hewson confirmed that approximately seventy units were evacuated as a necessary precaution to ensure resident safety. He added, “It is producing some CO levels that we are cautious with for tenants... so we have brought (those) tenants down and they are sheltering on TTC buses. We are working on extinguishing the fire and CO levels are going down currently.”

As fire crews remain on site, the situation continues to evolve, with a focused effort on extinguishing the fire and ensuring the safety of all residents affected by this incident.