The five-alarm fire at a North York highrise that killed one man and left hundreds of residents displaced last week began in an 8th-floor apartment, according to an initial report from the Ontario Fire Marshal’s office.

The fire at 235 Gosford Blvd., a 16-storey apartment tower near Jane Street and Steeles Avenue West home to several hundred residents, began in the bedroom of unit 808, the fire marshal’s office said in a statement released Wednesday.

The fire, which began around 5:30 p.m. on Friday, soon spread as high as the 12th floor of the tower. Flames could be seen pouring out of balconies on at least two floors.

Investigators continue to examine the source of ignition, the fire marshal’s statement said.

Smoke alarm components were found on the balcony of the unit where the fire started, it said.

A man was found dead on an 8th-floor balcony around 1 a.m. Saturday, several hours after the fire began.

Due to the heavy flames, firefighters had been unable to enter unit 808 during the blaze, Toronto fire Chief Matthew Pegg said at the time.

The man died of smoke inhalation, the fire marshal’s office said.

Investigators had been examining the 8th-floor unit for four days. The fire marshal’s office returned the scene back to the building’s owners on Tuesday.

“This was a difficult scene to process for investigators given the large, intense fire which caused significant fire and smoke spread,” the fire marshal’s statement read. “Investigators examined fire debris located on numerous balconies below and regularly climbed the eight floors to investigate the unit because there have been no hydro/elevators in the building since the occurrence.”

Nearly two dozen fire trucks and 100 firefighters were at the scene of the fire.

Six residents were rescued and treated, with one taken to hospital in stable condition.

The highrise has 131 units, with 347 registered tenants, said Charles Jansen, director of the city’s Office of Emergency Management.

The city has been providing emergency support and working with organizations like the Canadian Red Cross to provide resources to displaced residents, he said.

A reception at York University’s Tait McKenzie Centre has been set up to provided sleeping arrangements, food and emotional support to residents, Jansen said.

“I think our last count was 243 that had registered at our reception centre and I believe only about 47 stayed there overnight,” he said.

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Before residents can return to their homes, the apartment complex has to pass safety standards, which can take a while, Jansen said.

However residents may be able to retrieve personal belongings this week, “we’re hoping that they will be able to open up access by this Thursday,” he said.