Fire at Thorncliffe Park condos put out, no return date for residents, officials say

A fire that started late last month inside the walls of two highrise buildings in Toronto has been put out, officials said Tuesday, but there’s no return date yet for residents as crews continue to assess the damage.

The fire, which was burning the combustible particle board placed in an expansion joint between 11 Thorncliffe Park Dr. and 21 Overlea Blvd, started Nov. 27.

Toronto fire chief Jim Jessop told reporters Tuesday morning fire officials will continue to investigate the origin and cause of the blaze, and they will now hand over the buildings to the property’s management.

A total of 408 units had to be evacuated, and the city has said 239 people from 119 households were staying in 131 hotel rooms.

Jessop previously described the fire as a “complex situation,” with the fire burning deep inside a narrow gap between 25 to 50 millimetres wide, preventing crews from being able to directly access it.

He said firefighters used several different methods to extinguish the blaze, including cutting into walls and applying water, using carbon dioxide and helium to displace the oxygen and using water-based foam.

“It really was a combination of all activities that led to the final successful resolution of the incident,” he said.

Kamal Gogna, interim chief building official, says there’s “a great deal of work” to be done before residents can return, and crews must assess damage inside the walls, water exposure in the building and air quality.

He says crews expect damage to vary by unit and not all units will be ready for occupancy at the same time. Third-party engineers will provide a report on the building that will then be assessed by the city.

By Cassidy McMackon