An 11-year-old child was badly burned and six others were rushed to hospital after a two-alarm fire at an Etobicoke apartment Tuesday morning.
Toronto Fire says the blaze broke out at around 10 a.m. in a unit on the second floor of an apartment building located at 230 Lake Promenade, between Waterfront Trail and Long Branch.
Officials say six people were inside the apartment at the time of the fire and two children, who were suffering from smoke inhalation, were taken out of the building by Toronto police officers. A third child, who suffered serious burns, was trapped inside the building and was also rescued by an officer.
According to police, a total of seven people, including three children and four adults, were taken to hospital following the fire.
One police officer was among the patients transported to hospital, Toronto police confirm.
"The police made that rescue at their own peril and I think they did an outstanding job," Toronto Fire Platoon Chief John D'Aloisio told reporters at the scene.
“We are quite relieved, considering what has been happening this week. We had the other young child fatality ... These kind of incidents are hard on emergency responders as much as they are on everybody else too."
The condition of the child who suffered serious burns is not known at this time.
Fire officials say the blaze has been knocked down and crews are currently ventilating the building.
The cause of the fire has not yet been determined.
"We haven't had enough time to go through an investigation," D'Aloisio said.
Police say the Office of the Fire Marshal has been called in to probe the incident.
