1 dead after fire at encampment under Glen Road Bridge
Posted May 1, 2020 11:43 am.
Last Updated May 1, 2020 11:56 am.
This article is more than 5 years old.
One person has died after a fire at an encampment under the Glen Road Bridge.
Toronto Fire were called to the area on South Drive near Mount Pleasant Road and Bloor Street just before 8:30 a.m. Friday.
It was an active fire when they arrived, but crews were able to extinguish the blaze.
One occupant of the encampment was found dead by firefighters shortly after.
An investigation into what caused the blaze is being conducted by the Ontario Fire Marshall, Toronto Fire and Toronto Police.
The city says this is the seventh fire fatality in an encampment since 2010 and the first since 2018.
The news comes as Toronto began moving several people from tents into 125 furnished apartment buildings.
There is currently a moratorium on clearing encampments but officials say since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, city staff have been monitoring encampment sites and sending outreach teams.
COVID-19 has made its way inside some shelters, with 211 people testing positive. Nine have been hospitalized.
There were a series of fires at encampments under the Gardiner Expressway earlier this year, including one where four people were injured.
With files from The Canadian Press
