A woman has died after a fire inside a unit in a community apartment building in Toronto in the early hours of Saturday.
Toronto firefighters were called to the building at 1420 Victoria Park Ave. near O’Connor Drive shortly after 8 a.m., according to Fire Chief Jim Jessop.
The smoke was reported to have come from an eighth-floor unit.
“Upon arriving and entering the unit, our firefighters encountered heavy, heavy smoke conditions,” Jessop said outside the building.
“They were able to quickly put out the fire and contain the fire in the home drive.”
According to Toronto paramedics, emergency crews had to force entry to gain access to the unit.
During the search, firefighters found a victim, a woman, inside the unit. She was pronounced dead at the scene. His age has not been published.
There was no fire damage to other units, Jessop said. All residents have been able to return, he added.
“The conditions inside the unit were extremely difficult with heavy smoke. We did our best,” he said.
Investigators from Toronto Fire and the Ontario Fire Department Office will determine the cause of the fire and whether there were any smoke detectors operating inside the unit.
The Toronto Community Housing Corporation operates the building, according to Paul Versace, head of the Toronto Fire Department.