‘I’m glad to be alive’ man escapes two alarm blaze in Kensington market

WATCH ABOVE: Residents are thankful everyone got out safely after a two-alarm fire at a row house in Kensington Market Thursday. One woman jumped out of a second-floor window to avoid the flames and firefighters are still investigating the cause of the blaze.

TORONTO — A two-alarm fire that started at a residence in Toronto’s Kensington Market Thursday morning is under investigation.

Dark smoke could be seen for several blocks as firefighters worked to suppress the blaze at a row house located at 39 Kensington Ave.

Firefighters managed to get the fire under control around 7 a.m.

“We had reports of heavy fire showing and many tenants – some that were still trapped,” said Toronto Fire Services District Fire Chief Mike Swift.

“I don’t have a cause as to the fire. The source is somewhere on the second floor and  right now the rest is under investigation.”

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Swift said a resident jumped out of a window from the second floor to avoid the flames. Fellow housemate Greg, was there to catch her.

“I went down the hallway into the kitchen and the fire was right there,” Greg said.

“I started shouting to everyone to get out because at the time the fire was getting much worse.”

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As Greg exited the building, one of the tenants called out from a second floor bedroom window.

“She said she can’t open her door because of the smoke rolling in and so definitely, I told her you have to jump.”

Greg said he quickly gathered a tarp he found close by to help ease the woman’s landing.

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“I sort of bunched it up so she would have something to land on and also, myself, I broke her fall,” he said.

“I asked her if she was alright, of course, and she said, ‘Yes – I seem to be.'”

Working smoke alarms were present in the second and third floor of the house. A business was located on the main floor.

WATCH: Global News chopper video of the fire in Toronto’s Kensington Market

“It was a relief to say the least … I’m glad to be alive,” Greg said.

Earlier today, traffic was blocked on Kensington Avenue between Baldwin Street and Dundas Street West to accommodate crews managing the fire.

Greg said he was certain arson is the cause of the two alarm blaze.

“Where that seat was located, there was no hydro outlets, no extension cords, no gas facilities.”

The cause of the fire is currently under investigation.