Three-Alarm Fire Guts High Park Home
Posted June 8, 2010 7:22 am.
This article is more than 5 years old.
A three-alarm fire in the High Park area gutted a 100-year-old home and prompted a precautionary evacuation early Tuesday.
The fire broke out shortly after 3am at a home at 66 Indian Rd., near the Queensway and Parkside Dr.
The house had been under renovation for the past year. But although the owner, Robert, had been living there the whole time, he was not at home when the explosion happened.
Neighbouring homes were evacuated as 50 firefighters worked to put out the flames.
No residents were injured but the home next door suffered exposure damage.
“I’m shocked. It’s terrible. I’ve lost my home and the whole neighbourhood got turned upside-down in a matter of an hour,” Robert said.
One firefighter was hurt, sustaining an injury to his shoulder. He was taken to St. Joseph’s Health Centre for treatment.
“I could see the whole neighbourhood was orange. I ran to the patio … the flames were like two or three times the height of the house itself,” local resident Barry Carolan said.
Some residents reported hearing an explosion. But investigators can’t yet enter the home to determine the cause of the fire because the walls left standing are in danger of collapsing.
“You’ve got the roof and the second floor collapsed into the basement. We have to remove all of that debris for me to continue with the investigation,” said Michael Stewart of the Fire Marshal’s Office.
Damage is estimated at $600,000.
