Tragedy struck Toronto’s east end early Tuesday morning when flames engulfed a residential apartment building, claiming one life and sending two others to hospital with serious injuries. Emergency crews responded to the three-alarm blaze shortly after 3:30 a.m. at a mid-rise building near Danforth and Main Street, where residents were jolted awake by screams and the smell of thick smoke.
“I heard someone yelling for help and when I opened my door, the hallway was completely filled with black smoke,” said Maria Cortez, a third-floor resident who managed to escape with her cat. “People were running everywhere. It was chaos.”
Toronto Fire Services deployed over 15 vehicles to the scene, with firefighters battling intense flames that had already spread through multiple units on the building’s fourth floor. Acting Fire Chief Ray Thompson told CO24 News that crews faced significant challenges accessing the most severely affected apartments.
“The fire had progressed substantially before our arrival, creating extremely dangerous conditions for both residents and first responders,” Thompson explained. “Our teams had to conduct multiple rescues while simultaneously working to contain the spread.”
Police confirmed that a 67-year-old man was pronounced dead at the scene after being found unconscious in his apartment. Two other residents—a woman in her 50s and a man in his 30s—were transported to hospital with smoke inhalation and burn injuries. As of Tuesday afternoon, both remain in serious but stable condition at Sunnybrook Hospital’s burn unit.
The Office of the Fire Marshal has been notified and investigators have begun examining the scene to determine the fire’s origin and cause. Preliminary reports suggest the blaze may have started in a fourth-floor kitchen, though officials caution that a thorough investigation will take several days to complete.
This incident marks the city’s fourth fatal fire this year, raising concerns about residential building safety across Toronto. City Councillor Brad Williams has called for an emergency review of fire safety protocols in older apartment buildings throughout the east end district.
“Many of these structures were built in the 1960s and 1970s when building codes were less stringent,” Williams noted during an impromptu press conference near the scene. “We need to ensure that every residential building in this city meets modern safety standards, regardless of its age.”
The Canadian Red Cross has established a temporary shelter at nearby Danforth Collegiate for the approximately 40 residents displaced by the fire. Community response has been swift, with local businesses and residents donating clothing, food, and essential supplies.
Sarah Mehta, disaster management coordinator with the Red Cross, told CO24 that emotional support services are also being provided to affected residents.
“Beyond immediate physical needs, many survivors are dealing with profound trauma and loss,” Mehta said. “Our mental health team is working closely with these individuals to help them process what they’ve experienced.”
As the east end community rallies around those affected, questions remain about whether this tragedy could have been prevented. Were the building’s smoke detectors functioning properly? Did all fire doors close automatically as designed? And perhaps most importantly, how can we better protect residents in aging apartment buildings that house some of our city’s most vulnerable populations?
