

Paul Johnston, CP24.com





Three people have died following a two-alarm fire at a Malvern apartment building Friday afternoon, Toronto police have confirmed.

Emergency crews were called to the five-storey building run by Toronto Community Housing Corp. at 1315 Neilson Rd., north of Sewells Road, shortly after 3 p.m.

The building is home to a large number of senior residents.

At the scene, firefighters encountered heavy smoke and flames on the building’s fifth floor, Toronto Fire Services Capt. David Eckerman said.

“Some of the seniors were brought down ladders from the outside (of the building), because the hallways were so full of smoke that it was impossible to bring them through the smoke to exit the building,” Bob O’Halloran, with Toronto Fire Services, said in an update late Friday afternoon.

Paramedics earlier said that four patients were without vital signs after being pulled from the building.

Currently, 15 patients are being treated in hospital, officials said. One is in critical condition.

The ages and genders of the patients were not immediately clear.

Area Coun. Raymond Cho described news of the fire at the 126-unit building as shocking.

“I feel so sad,” he told CP24 at the scene Friday night.

“I know many of the seniors because I’ve been coming here regularly. I have a lot of respect for them.”

An investigator with the office of the Ontario Fire Marshal said the investigation into the cause of the fire is in the preliminary stages.

“We haven’t actually got up to the fifth floor where the fire occurred,” Jeff Tebby said.

“We’re just getting people out of the building where they need to be out.”

“I came here to express my deep condolences,” Toronto Mayor John Tory told CP24 at the scene late Friday night.

Tory, who had been in Ottawa earlier in the day, flew back to the city Friday night after learning about the fire.

“I came here to express my gratitude to first responders."

Crews continue to investigate at the scene.