Highrise Blaze Leaves 1, 200 Homeless
Posted September 25, 2010 8:55 am.
This article is more than 5 years old.
Officials are now scrambling to find shelter for 1, 200 residents of a downtown highrise gutted by fire Friday evening.
A 6 alarm blaze broke out around 5pm at 200 Wellesley Street East.
At least 14 people were taken to hospital, including three children and a baby just a month old. Three of the people are suffering from very serious injuries. In addition, three firefighters were also taken to hospital and as many as 10 were being treated for heat exhaustion.
The displaced residents spent the night on cots, eating pizza and orange slices at the Wellesley Community Centre.
The City’s Emergency Response Team is still working to find a permanent solution to accommodate them.
The public housing unit is described as very densely populated, with the 1, 200 residents filling up 711 units.
CityNews.ca has learned the blaze, which began on the 24th floor, was so stubborn and difficult to extinguish because it originated in the unit of a hoarder.
The apartment was packed with materials, which made the job extremely difficult for crews.
Fire Chief William Stewart described Friday’s fire as unlike anything he’d seen in his career.
The effort by fire crews required at least 127 firefighters and 27 trucks.
The blaze is now under investigation by the fire marshal’s office. It’s not clear when residents may be able to go back, but the building will need to be examined for structural safety before any residents can return.
