A man in his 80s has died after a fire broke out at a retirement residence in North York on Sunday night, according to Toronto Fire Services officials.
Fire Erupts on Fourth Floor
The two-alarm blaze began just before 10:30 p.m. on December 28, 2025, at the Forestview Retirement Residence on Finch Avenue West near Bathurst Street. Officials reported that the fire apparently originated in the living room of a fourth-floor unit.
At a press conference held Monday morning, Toronto Fire Services Division Commander Robert Hewson provided details of the response. He stated that fire crews made contact with the occupant inside the burning unit and performed a rescue, bringing the individual down to the building's lobby. Paramedics then took over patient care.
Rescue Efforts and Rapid Containment
The fire was brought under control very quickly, Hewson emphasized. He noted that the flames were contained to the living area of the single unit involved. Due to the swift action of firefighters and light smoke conditions, no other residents needed to be evacuated from their homes within the facility.
"Toronto fire ventilated and got cleaned up pretty quick," Hewson told reporters. A significant force was deployed to manage the incident, with a total of 21 fire trucks dispatched to the scene.
Victim Succumbs to Injuries
The rescued man was initially transported to hospital in critical condition but later died from his injuries. The exact cause of death has not been released by authorities. Hewson confirmed that the victim was the sole occupant of the unit at the time the fire started.
The cause of the deadly blaze remains unknown and is now under investigation by the Office of the Ontario Fire Marshal. The Forestview Retirement Residence is located behind the former site of the York-Finch Hospital, which closed its doors in 2015.
This tragic event follows other recent fatal fires in the Greater Toronto Area, underscoring ongoing concerns about fire safety in residential settings.
