Baby girl dead, woman in critical condition following 2-alarm house fire in Toronto

An investigation is underway after a two-alarm house fire early Friday morning killed a five-month-old baby girl and left a 19-year-old woman in critical condition in hospital.

Deputy Fire Chief Jim Jessop said crews were called to the residence at 29 Trethewey Dr. near Keele Street and Yore Road just after 1 a.m.

Witnesses tell CityNews thick smoke was billowing from the back porch and quickly escalated into intense flames as firefighters arrived.

Fire crews were met with high heat and zero visibility, according to Jessop.

“Immediately upon primary search they located the infant and the young female, brought them outside, started CPR and life-saving measures,” he said.

Both were taken to hospital where the infant was pronounced dead. The woman was said to have serious, potentially life-threatening injuries.

“These are tough days,” said Jessop. “They are tough days for our crews, not only the firefighters but also the police officers and the paramedics. A vast majority of the responders on the scene early this morning have children.”

Jessop said up to six people were in the home at the time of the fire. Four other patients were treated at the scene but weren’t transported to a hospital.

An investigation into the cause of the blaze is underway and the Ontario Fire Marshal’s office says it is too early to say if there were working smoke alarms in the home.