Firefighting efforts at two condo buildings in Thorncliffe Park are expected to continue into next week, the city says.
The fire, which has been described by officials as complex and stubborn, has been burning in the walls between 11 Thorncliffe Park Dr. and 21 Overlea Blvd. since the afternoon of Nov. 27.
Officials initially thought it was an electrical fire, but they later determined that the combustible particle board in the walls shared by the two buildings had been slowly burning.
With the fire in a confined space that crews can’t get to, efforts to knock it down have been “next to impossible,” officials said.
All of the two buildings more than 400 units remain evacuated.
In an update on Tuesday, the city said a “phased approach” would be required for residents to return to their units.
“As the fire is still active, we do not yet have a timeline for this yet,” the city said.
“As we’ve been communicating since the onset of this event, residents must be working with their insurance providers to determine supports available as part of personal policies. The City will continue to work with property owners and tenants with extenuating circumstances.”
