Toronto fire officials have successfully extinguished a blaze at two highrises in Thorncliffe Park, an incident that occurred just months after a similar fire displaced hundreds of residents from the same buildings.
Fire Details and Response
Officials confirmed that operations concluded at 11 Thorncliffe Park Dr. and 21 Overlea Blvd. at noon on Monday. The buildings have since been turned over to their respective property management companies. The fire was contained to the insulation trapped within the concrete walls between the two structures, mirroring the circumstances of a previous fire that took place at the end of 2025.
In the earlier incident, approximately 400 residents were evacuated due to rising carbon monoxide levels. However, during this latest fire, no evacuation was ordered.
Cause of the Fire
Toronto Fire Chief Jim Jessop stated that the recent fire was ignited by sparks from a saw cutting into concrete. “The fire was caused by workers in the building doing remedial work and repair work and restoration work from the original fire in the unit on the seventh floor,” he explained. “It was caused by sparks from a saw cutting into concrete that caused the TenTest insulation (a rigid, natural wood fiber) to again catch fire.”
Remedial Actions and Safety Measures
Kamal Gogna, executive director of Toronto Building, reported that work ceased immediately upon discovery of the fire. “The scope of that work includes the removal of the TenTest material that the chief described as well as filling the gap with fire-stopping material along with some restoration of concrete work that is necessary,” Gogna said. A new order has been issued requiring a comprehensive construction plan before any work on the site can resume.
Gogna noted that TenTest insulation is commonly used in the construction industry to separate two structures. “At the time when these buildings were constructed there were no code deficiencies identified,” he added.
The incident underscores ongoing challenges in ensuring fire safety in older buildings, particularly those using materials like TenTest insulation. Authorities continue to monitor the situation and enforce stricter safety protocols.
