Exploding propane tanks, 30-40 foot flames at deadly North York encampment fire: chief

Firefighters who responded to a deadly encampment fire in North York early Thursday morning were met with exploding propane tanks and flames 30 to 40 feet high, Toronto’s fire chief says.

Chief Jim Jessop said crews were called to the wooded area near Eglinton Avenue East and Credit Union Drive just before 4:30 a.m. for reports of a fire.

He said when firefighters first arrived on scene, they encountered a “significant” fire that was extinguished in less than 15 minutes.

One person was found dead inside one of the structures within the encampment, he said. That person has not been identified.

Jessop said while the cause of the fire is under investigation, there were “a number” of structures at the encampment, some of which were made of wood and covered with cardboard.

“In fact, one of the structures had a wood stove,” he said, describing the encampment as “quite the setup.”

“So, I’m not surprised at the intensity of the fire, with the reports of flames 30 to 40 feet in the air, and you have structures that are combustible this size,” adding that there were also “numerous” propane tanks and gas cylinders in the area.

Jessop said he has been in touch with Toronto’s general manager to notify the city of the “number” of individuals who were living in the area. City teams will be on site later today to speak with those individuals and to offer them indoor shelter, he said.

The fire will be investigated by the Office of the Fire Marshal as well as Toronto police.

In a statement to CTV News Toronto, Mayor Olivia Chow’s office described the incident as “tragic” and said it underscores the “urgent need to bring people indoors into shelters and affordable housing.”

“Ultimately, everyone needs a safe place to call home. Mayor Chow has focused on strengthening eviction prevention programs and getting shovels in the ground on thousands of affordable homes across Toronto,” her office said.