Thick, black smoke filled the air near the Danforth Sunday morning as a high rise apartment on
Secord Avenue went up in flames.
Fire fighters were on the scene by 11am and residents were immediately cautioned to stay in their building with the sounds of sirens ringing in their ears.
At least 40 vehicles responded, including two HazMat (Hazardous Material) units.
After five hours of heavy fighting, just after 2pm, Fire Chief Bill Stewart had good news:
"The fire is under control," he reported.
The blaze was caused by an exploding hydro vault inside the building.
The building sustained "severe structural damage," Stewart described.
"I can tell you that the explosion was severe. It's lifted the pavement at the front of the structure. Our fire vehicle first on arriving was actually lifted by the explosion," he added.
A structural engineer from the City has been called in to look at the building, and Toronto Hydro will be monitoring the air as a precautionary measure.
A resident had smelled smoke and called 911.
When crews first arrived, everything appeared normal.
"All of a sudden there was an explosion, and with that explosion came the fireball and that ruled in the six firefighters being injured," Stewart outlined.
"When the explosion went it certainly was significant. It's moved vehicles on the parking levels. It's blown fire doors off the lower levels. It's blown any grading that was in the building garage door out."
As many as nine fire fighters were injured. Three suffered from smoke inhalation. Three others had 2nd degree burns.
One citizen, who had left his unit, was also treated for smoke inhalation. None of the injuries were life-threatening.
Fire crews conducted a floor-by-floor search of the smoke-filled building. It's 21 storeys high, with approximately 10 units per floor.
"The parking levels were charred with smoke and all the floors of the building were charred with smoke. The occupants could not obviously evacuate," Stewart said.
However, townhouses on Secord were evacuated to a nearby school. None of the building's residents were allowed back in the building due to concerns over its structural soundness.
The immediate area was closed to traffic, but the Danforth stayed open.
Residents have not been given word on when they will be allowed back in. A nearby school has been opened to house the displaced people, and some are making other plans for the night.
"We'll go get a hotel for one night, but after that it's still up in the air," explained Loretta Ealon, a resident of the building.
Image courtesy viewer Mark Ransom.
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