Thorncliffe Park residents return home after condo fire

Residents Begin Returning to Thorncliffe Park Condo After Fire

Residents of one of two condo buildings affected by a fire in Thorncliffe Park have started to return to their units. This comes weeks after they were forced out of their homes.

The fire broke out on November 27 in the two connected buildings at 11 Thorncliffe Park Dr. and 21 Overlea Blvd. More than 400 units in these buildings were evacuated.

Resident Reactions to Returning Home

Jacqui Julien, a resident of 11 Thorncliffe Park Dr., expressed her excitement about returning home. She spent the entire month of December at the Don Valley Hotel.

“I was elated. I was so excited to go back. It was so amazing to hear that news. It was fantastic,” she said, noting that her unit was untouched.

“I mean, we went through a lot. We had a tough time there. But everyone was safe, everyone was out of the cold,” she added.

Fire and Damage Assessment

On December 15, Toronto Fire Services reported that the fire was extinguished. Engineers working with property management had to assess the damage before residents could return.

In an email to residents of 11 Thorncliffe Park Dr. on Sunday, Del Property Management Inc. stated it received clearance from the city for partial reoccupation of the building.

Julien received the email on Sunday night, informing her that 50 units were allowed to return. “Oh my God, it’s time for us to go back,” she recalled saying.

Returning to Units

Upon returning to her unit, Julien noted that she needed to dust but was relieved that her unit did not smell of smoke. When she entered her bedroom, she exclaimed, “Oh bed, I missed you. I missed you, baby.”

Residents mentioned that the adjoining building at 21 Overlea Blvd. has not yet begun re-entry.

Fire Investigation and Ongoing Displacement

Toronto fire officials stated that the fire burned combustible particle board in an expansion joint between the two buildings. Crews had to access the walls of some units to ensure the fire was completely out, causing additional damage.

Yiannis Fotopoulos, a displaced resident, shared that he and his wife are still staying at the hotel. “That’s not home. You’re in a hotel,” he said.

Fotopoulos is waiting for the results of an air quality test. Although he does not know when he will return home, he feels relieved that his neighbors are starting to go back. “It’s over, it’s over. Thank you, thank God,” he said.

Exclusion Zones for Reoccupancy

According to the property management company, sixteen units from the third to the tenth floors of 11 Thorncliffe Park Dr. are excluded from reoccupancy. These units are located within a designated “exclusion zone” behind corridor hoarding.