A construction firm and two property companies are facing charges after a fire that lasted nearly three weeks at two highrise buildings and displaced more than 200 residents late last year, Toronto fire Chief Jim Jessop said Thursday.
The fire, which was burning the combustible particle board placed in an expansion joint between 11 Thorncliffe Park Drive and 21 Overlea Boulevard, started on Nov. 27 and was not extinguished until Dec. 15 due to the complexity of the blaze.
“(The fire) presented one of the most complex, unprecedented and prolonged firefighting challenges ever experienced by Toronto Fire Services,” Jessop said at a press conference.
The fire chief has previously described the fire as burning deep inside a narrow gap between 25 to 50 millimetres wide, preventing crews from being able to directly access it.
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Jessop said investigators have determined there was construction at the Thorncliffe Park building and ignition sources were allegedly being used near combustible materials, causing the fire to ignite.
“Toronto Fire Services was not notified of the fire for over 30 minutes,” he alleged.
He said PFC Construction Inc., is facing multiple charges in violation of the Ontario Fire Code, including failing to protect combustible materials from ignition sources during hot surface applications.
The company has also been charged with failing to conduct a fire watch and ensure a fire warning is sounded to alert and notify the fire department, and failing to provide portable fire extinguishers when conducting hot surface applications, he said.
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Jessop said the Metropolitan Toronto Condominium Corporation 956 and their company Del Property Management Inc., have also been charged with failing to implement the building’s fire safety plan, which requires the fire department to be contacted upon activation of the building fire alarm system.
The companies did not immediately respond to a request for comment. None of the allegations have been tested in court.
A total of 408 units had to be evacuated during the fire, and the city said at the time that 239 people from 119 households were staying in hotel rooms.
Jessop said Thursday the three defendants are scheduled to appear in court later this month.
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