Fire breaks out again at two Toronto highrises evacuated last year
Written by The Canadian Press on May 4, 2026
TORONTO — Fire crews are working to put out a fire at two Toronto highrise towers, months after a similar blaze that displaced hundreds of residents.
Toronto fire Chief Jim Jessop says crews responded to a call in the Thorncliffe Park area just after 11:30 a.m. and have been working to extinguish the flames as well as monitoring both buildings for smoke and carbon monoxide.
He says the buildings have not been evacuated and residents are sheltering in place because it is “safe to do so at this time.”
Jessop says the fire is burning the insulation trapped in the concrete walls between 11 Thorncliffe Park Dr. and 21 Overlea Blvd., just as it did late last year.
About 400 units had to be evacuated at the time, partly due to a spike in carbon monoxide levels.
He says the buildings’ owners have since taken a number of measures, including hiring an engineering firm and submitting proper plans.
“They were following what they had committed to do,” he said in a news conference Monday.
“As part of the rehabilitation from the previous fire, the building’s owner and their engineering team hoarded off and basically isolated the area in question on both sides of the building. That is why right now the only areas where we have smoke and carbon monoxide is in that enclosed area.”
He said the Toronto Fire Service’s investigations division is on scene to look into the origin, cause and circumstances of the fire.
“Our crews are doing continual air monitoring throughout the building to make sure that the residents are in no danger,” he said.
“The operation will continue until Toronto Fire Service is satisfied that the fire is completely extinguished.”
This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 4, 2026.
Maan Alhmidi, The Canadian Press