Police appeal for leads in massive Toronto fire Last Updated: Friday, February 22, 2008 | 1:32 PM ET CBC News Toronto police are asking people who lost their homes and businesses in Wednesday's massive Queen Street West fire to share information about what happened.
Const. Wendy Drummond said police are trying to determine whether the fire was a result of criminal activity and have set up a mobile command post on Bathurst Street, near Queen Street, for witnesses to visit.
More than 150 firefighters were called in to put out Wednesday's blaze, which caused an estimated $10 million in damage, much of it uninsured.
The appeal for information comes a day after investigators with the Office of the Ontario Fire Marshal began sifting through the ruins for clues about what started the early morning blaze.
The fire spread quickly to 15 buildings, some more than 100 years old, which housed street-level shops with upper-level apartments. About 60 people lost either their homes or businesses, but no injuries were reported. Early estimates peg the damage at $10 million.
Many tenants and business owners said they were not insured. They said insurance in the well-known shopping district is extremely expensive because many of the buildings ??? made of old wood and packed closely together ??? were built according to antiquated fire codes.
George Cook, CEO of Dominion of Canada General Insurance Co. in Toronto, agreed the price of insurance is high but not out of reach.
He said retrofitting historic buildings with sprinkler systems can reduce insurance costs dramatically.
Sprinkler systems would have kept the blaze small, Toronto fire Chief Bill Stewart said Wednesday, and Queen's Park is considering whether to add them to Ontario's building code.
It took more than five hours and 150 firefighters to get the flames under control.
The TTC expects the Queen Street streetcar to be redirected onto King Street between Shaw Street and Spadina Avenue for most of the weekend.
Archeologists see an opportunity While the fire was a disaster for business-owners and tenants, local archeologists say there may be a silver lining.
Underneath the ruins on Queen Street lie the foundations of an 1838 British barracks, said Ron Williamson of Archeological Services, which is helping the city create an inventory of archeological sites.
The British built the barracks to fortify their defences after the 1837 Upper Canada Rebellion led by William Lyon Mackenzie, Williamson told CBC on Friday.
What little is known about the barracks ??? thought to have housed about 100 men ??? comes from mid-19th century maps. The stores and apartments built above the barracks' ruins meant the site was inaccessible.
"There might now be an opportunity to further investigate," said Williamson.
The Toronto Star had a long write up about the fire, and they said COSMOS Records was flooded and had water damage as a result of the fire hoses/water used to put out the fire. Apparently that Shwarma place is beside Cosmos was also flooded as they mentioned that name as well. Anyone know how bad this was?
The Toronto Star had a long write up about the fire, and they said COSMOS Records was flooded and had water damage as a result of the fire hoses/water used to put out the fire. Apparently that Shwarma place is beside Cosmos was also flooded as they mentioned that name as well. Anyone know how bad this was?
It's not true. I went over to Aki's house lastnight. Cosmos made it out fine. The Pizza spot was the last place to get hit with heavy water. They can't open until the fire marshal gives the OK. Probably after this weekend.
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Last Updated: Friday, February 22, 2008 | 1:32 PM ET
CBC News
Toronto police are asking people who lost their homes and businesses in Wednesday's massive Queen Street West fire to share information about what happened.
Const. Wendy Drummond said police are trying to determine whether the fire was a result of criminal activity and have set up a mobile command post on Bathurst Street, near Queen Street, for witnesses to visit.
More than 150 firefighters were called in to put out Wednesday's blaze, which caused an estimated $10 million in damage, much of it uninsured.
The appeal for information comes a day after investigators with the Office of the Ontario Fire Marshal began sifting through the ruins for clues about what started the early morning blaze.
The fire spread quickly to 15 buildings, some more than 100 years old, which housed street-level shops with upper-level apartments. About 60 people lost either their homes or businesses, but no injuries were reported. Early estimates peg the damage at $10 million.
Many tenants and business owners said they were not insured. They said insurance in the well-known shopping district is extremely expensive because many of the buildings ??? made of old wood and packed closely together ??? were built according to antiquated fire codes.
George Cook, CEO of Dominion of Canada General Insurance Co. in Toronto, agreed the price of insurance is high but not out of reach.
He said retrofitting historic buildings with sprinkler systems can reduce insurance costs dramatically.
Sprinkler systems would have kept the blaze small, Toronto fire Chief Bill Stewart said Wednesday, and Queen's Park is considering whether to add them to Ontario's building code.
It took more than five hours and 150 firefighters to get the flames under control.
The TTC expects the Queen Street streetcar to be redirected onto King Street between Shaw Street and Spadina Avenue for most of the weekend.
Archeologists see an opportunity
While the fire was a disaster for business-owners and tenants, local archeologists say there may be a silver lining.
Underneath the ruins on Queen Street lie the foundations of an 1838 British barracks, said Ron Williamson of Archeological Services, which is helping the city create an inventory of archeological sites.
The British built the barracks to fortify their defences after the 1837 Upper Canada Rebellion led by William Lyon Mackenzie, Williamson told CBC on Friday.
What little is known about the barracks ??? thought to have housed about 100 men ??? comes from mid-19th century maps. The stores and apartments built above the barracks' ruins meant the site was inaccessible.
"There might now be an opportunity to further investigate," said Williamson.
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I am waiting to hear back from the Salvation Army if people are need of specific things. I am sure SA is well-stocked, but you never know.
It's not true. I went over to Aki's house lastnight. Cosmos made it out fine. The Pizza spot was the last place to get hit with heavy water. They can't open until the fire marshal gives the OK. Probably after this weekend.