Four-alarm fire in North York damages homes in townhouse complex

Toronto fire crews battled a four-alarm blaze at a townhouse complex in North York Tuesday night.

The fire damaged several homes and left an unknown number of residents displaced.

“There was a lot of damage. The homeowners have lost a lot here,” a media spokesperson for Toronto fire told the Star.

At least 40 firefighters were dispatched to the call at around 7 p.m., in the residential complex on Mantello Drive, near Keele Street and Finch Avenue West.

Toronto fire aerial units tackled the flames from high above the row of houses.

Initially deemed a three-alarm call, the fire spread quickly and was escalated to four alarms, as Toronto fire said they realized they would require more resources to fight the flames, especially given the hot weather and needing to provide crews enough staff power to rotate firefighters.

No injuries were reported during the incident, and it is unclear at this time how many residents have been displaced. A temporary shelter was arranged for those residents who were affected, officials say.

The flames were deemed “under control” after the bulk of the fire was knocked down hours after the incident. Fire crews remained at the scene throughout the night working on extinguishing hot spots.

The investigation is still in its early stages and the Office of the Fire Marshal hasn’t been called at this time. Toronto fire said the cause of the fire is still unknown.

“Crews arrived and there was really a lot of fire there, so impossible to see where it originated,” Toronto fire said.

Santiago Arias Orozco is a breaking news reporter, working out of the Star’s radio room in Toronto. Follow him on Twitter: @SantiagoAriasO6