Rowhouse fire in Kensington Market causes $1M in damage
Posted December 1, 2014 6:02 am.
This article is more than 5 years old.
Damage was extensive but no injuries were reported after a four-alarm house fire in Kensington Market.
The fire broke out in a 100-year-old rowhouse on Oxford Street, near Spadina Avenue and College Street, around 1 a.m. on Monday.
Toronto Fire said the damage is pegged at $1 million.
It started in the rear of one house, on a balcony or a deck, and then spread to at least three other units. The roof collapsed on two of the rowhouses.
The unit where the fire started was gutted, and three other units were also damaged.
“There’s four houses involved … once it gets into the roof, it spreads pretty quickly,” Toronto Fire Services division commander Bob O’Halloran said.
Three people were able to escape the blaze. One person was in the house where the fire began, and the other two were in neighbouring units.
Seko Wong, 83, lived in the home where the fire originated and was asleep at the time. His adult children said Wong is hard of hearing but was woken up when he felt his dog pawing at him, allowing him to escape the fire.
“I asked how their father was alerted to the fire, and he said his dog was barking and alerted him — that’s how he got out,” Platoon chief Kevin Shaw said.
“Anybody who has pets knows that they sense things before humans do.”
No injuries were reported, but some residents were treated for heart trouble and high blood pressure.
Officials say five cats died in the fire.
The fire has since been extinguished but firefighters are keeping an eye on a couple of hotspots.
Toronto police said the fire forced at least 10 other people from their homes.
The cause of the fire is not yet known. The Ontario Fire Marshal’s office has been called in to investigate.
Spadina was closed between College and Dundas streets, but has since reopened. However, Oxford will remain closed for some time.
