Overview
- Toronto Fire Chief Jim Jessop identified particleboard trapped behind the buildings’ expansion joint as the persistent fuel and said access is nearly impossible, comparing the hidden burn to a cigar.
- Officials said residents cannot return until the fire is fully out and at least 24 hours have passed for safety checks, with no overall timeline set for reentry.
- A total of 378 units were evacuated because of dangerous carbon monoxide from incomplete combustion, with initial readings reported as high as 850 parts per million and later described as decreasing.
- Emergency support from the Canadian Red Cross covers 141 households representing 293 people in 117 hotel rooms, with food, hygiene supplies and some transportation provided and assistance extended through Thursday.
- Multi‑disciplinary engineers from Toronto Fire, Toronto Building and the property owners are developing access plans as crews enter select units, thermal imaging fails to reliably detect heat and no structural damage has been indicated so far.