TORONTO

For years now, residents of a quiet, upscale street in the city's Beach area have been dealing with a hoarder of cats and other stuff.

The cats -- more than 50 of them at one point, neighbours say -- were dealt with last year.

But on Monday, as many as 20 firefighters and fire prevention officers -- a handful wearing hazmat suits -- descended on a semi-detached house on Beech Ave, just south of Kingston Rd.

Armed with a court order, they dealt with what one Toronto Fire official described as a house crammed with stuff, including garbage and an abundance of "combustible material."

By the afternoon, two dumpsters had been filled with stained blankets and cushions, torn lamp shades, a broken exercise trampoline, cardboard, wood, and countless pieces of rubbish. In the home's driveway sat an old, rusted-out car without wheels.

Angela and Neil Downey, who live next door, care for a daughter with Lou Gehrig's Disease, and had a son who died in 2008 while serving in Afghanistan.

"I'm delighted (that the house is being cleaned up), because the summer is coming," said Angela. "And thank God for the media, because once the media got involved, there was some action."

Neighbour Sue McCloskey, who lives across the street and has spearheaded the neighbourhood's quest for action, identified the occupant of the house as Barbara Behe, who lived there with her mother until the latter died several years ago.

McCloskey and another neighbour said the woman began lashing out at neighbours who asked her to clean up, at times blaming them for her mother's death.

"We're all concerned about her, but she has a responsibility to this neighbourhood," added McCloskey. "So, although we feel for her, we also expect her to be respectful of the neighbours around her."

Throughout the day, a blonde woman in a light top and torn cargo pants could be seen going through items being removed.

Toronto Fire district chief Jim Stoops said the "occupant" was allowed to keep some items that were deemed safe.

"In this house there is really a lot of excessive combustible material ... (and)material that blocks exits," said Stoops.

He said the woman was issued as many as 25 warnings by fire inspectors before a court order was obtained.