Massive fire destroys 20 homes under construction in Vaughan subdivision

Posted April 12, 2023 2:00 pm.
Last Updated April 12, 2023 7:50 pm.
A total of 35 homes have either been destroyed or damaged following a large fire at a residential subdivision in Vaughan.
Firefighters and other emergency crews were called to the scene at Heathcote Road and Kinburn Crescent near Teston Road and Pine Valley Drive just after 1 p.m. on Wednesday.
“Upon arrival, firefighters were met with a heavy volume of fire driven by windy conditions. Multiple homes are on fire, and some have since collapsed,” officials with the City of Vaughan said in a statement.
CityNews airborne traffic reporter Kyle Hocking who is over the scene in Chopper 680 said six new streets were built with homes on either side in various stages of construction.
He said it appears at least two dozen homes on either side of at least three of those streets have been levelled.



Vaughan Deputy Fire Chief Grant Moffatt says the gusting winds significantly hindered their efforts in battling the massive fire.
“Due to the wind and the temperatures today, it did spread to adjoining buildings,” explained Moffat. “Without wind, you may get the opportunity to control up to three or four homes but homes under construction the spread is very rapid.”
Moffatt says at least 20 homes have been destroyed and another 15 were damaged and will need to be torn down.
Except for some minor burns, no one was seriously injured. Moffatt says one firefighter was transported to hospital as a precaution.
Several neighbouring homes had to be evacuated due to the intense blaze.
“My mom was like ‘look at the sky, it’s really dark.’ We thought it would be rain,” Sandra tells CityNews 680. “We looked out the window and the sky was completely black. So we ran outside and saw flames over the houses.”
The Ontario Fire Marshal has been called in to investigate the cause of the fire. Unconfirmed reports say a contractor’s torch may have sparked the massive blaze.
Smoke from the fire could be seen by drivers along Highway 400 and as far away as Buttonville.

Road closures are in effect in the area including Pine Valley at Ballantyne Boulevard, Teston at Ballantyne, and Teston at Arbordale Drive.