Toronto firefighters are responding to an electrical fire at a student co-operative residence in the city’s downtown that caused smoke to fill the hallways of the 22-storey building.
Emergency crews were called to Neill-Wycik Co-operative College building on Gerrard Street East near Church Street just before 10:40 p.m. on Monday.
“We have had a significant electrical fire that has taken out power to the building. The entire building was charged with smoke,” Acting Toronto Fire Services Chief Jim Jessop told reporters early Tuesday.
Jessop said residents were forced to evacuate from the building, but there were no reports of injuries. He said firefighters had to escort students down the smoke-filled stairwells.
The spokesperson said most of the fire was extinguished about an hour after the initial call came in.
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It’s believed the fire happened in a first-floor electrical unit, knocking out power to the building. Crews were inspecting other electrical units in the building.
The extent of the damage wasn’t fully known as of early Tuesday.
Jessop said the Electrical Safety Authority, Office of the Fire Marshal and Toronto Fire Services investigators have all been called in to probe how and where exactly the fire started.
TTC shelter buses were requested for those who were displaced. Jessop said municipal emergency management and Red Cross officials were contacted to help arrange for temporary accommodations.
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