Four hospitalized, including two children, after Toronto highrise fire

Four individuals, two of them children, required hospitalization following a fire that erupted in a Toronto highrise early Tuesday morning. Emergency services responded to reports of a blaze in an apartment unit near Ontario Street and St. James Avenue shortly after 3 a.m.

Toronto fire Division Commander John Carson reported that crews encountered significant heat and flames but managed to control the fire swiftly. The hospitalized individuals include a man and a woman, along with two children aged 12 and 14. The woman and children are being monitored, while the man is receiving treatment for second-degree burns.

Carson noted the presence of batteries and e-bikes on the unit's balcony, with additional batteries found inside. "The batteries were compromised inside and then outside. It certainly would have contributed to the intense burn," he stated, suggesting these items likely fueled the fire's intensity. An investigation into the precise cause of the fire is currently underway.

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The batteries were compromised inside and then outside. It certainly would have contributed to the intense burn.