TORONTO – Firefighters who extinguished a blaze and evacuated a downtown Toronto apartment Tuesday found the building’s fire alarms mostly inoperational, with cut wires and batteries missing.
Toronto Fire extinguished a blaze in the area of Jameson Avenue and the Gardiner Expressway just before noon.
Fire crews rescued three people from the building and treated four at the scene. Three were transported to hospital, including one with life-threatening injuries, but their condition was later upgraded to stable.
District Fire Chief Chris Bertram said the six-unit rooming house had 10 smoke alarms, but only one was operational, emitting a “very, very weak” sound. The other nine were missing batteries or had hard wires cut, he said.
“This is something we sadly encounter too too often,” he said. “Public education has to continue and landlords have to inspect their properties and keep them up to working conditions at all times.”
Bertram said Ontario’s Fire Marshal will investigate.
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