Residents of two East York apartment buildings are facing an extended period away from their homes following a five-alarm fire that broke out on Thursday afternoon. The fire, which initially started at 11 Thorncliffe Park and spread to the neighboring building at 21 Overlea Boulevard, forced the evacuation of over 400 units due to dangerous levels of carbon monoxide.
As of Sunday, residents are still uncertain about when they will be able to return home, as officials have not provided a definitive timeline for extinguishing the fire. Updates are expected to be given on Monday, leaving many residents in a state of anxiety and uncertainty.
Speaking to CityNews, some residents shared their experiences of the ordeal. One resident expressed the stress of not knowing when they can return home, while another described the challenges of quickly gathering essential belongings for their family, including emergency documents and medications for their children.
The fire department continues to work diligently to contain the fire, which is reported to be still burning behind the walls of the buildings. Firefighters are facing a complex and challenging situation, with slow progress being made as they work to reduce heat and carbon monoxide levels.
Acting Division Commander Rob Hewson emphasized the slow but steady progress being made by the crews on site. Once the fire is completely extinguished, firefighters will remain at the scene for at least 24 hours to ensure that carbon monoxide levels have returned to safe levels.
While the fire is believed to have originated in the underground parking structure of one of the buildings, the exact cause and source of the blaze are still under investigation.