1 person dead, another in hospital after highrise fire in Flemingdon Park

Toronto Fire Chief Jim Jessop gives an update on a deadly highrise fire that broke out in North York on Wednesday afternoon.

A woman is dead and a man is in critical condition after a two-alarm fire broke out at a highrise in Flemingdon Park Wednesday afternoon.

Toronto Fire Services (TFS) were called to 45 Grenoble Drive, east of Don Mills Road, just before 3:30 p.m.

TFS Chief Jim Jessop said crews discovered the fire in a unit on the 21st floor and encountered high heat, significant flames, and “complete blackness.”

“During their primary search, while at the same time conducting fire operations, they removed two persons from the unit,” Jessop said.

Both were taken to the hospital with life-threatening injuries, but one of them was later pronounced dead. The victim’s identity has not been released.

Jessop said he did not have information about the relationship between the two individuals.

Crews now have the fire under control and have completed smoke ventilation throughout the building, the fire chief said. Most residents who evacuated during the fire have been allowed to return to their unit.

“Our crews have done their air monitoring. The rest of the building is absolutely safe, which is why we’ve allowed the people to go back in,” the Jessop said.

The cause, origin, and circumstances of the fire are unknown. Jessop said TFS investigators and the Office of the Fire Marshal had been notified.