Fire code offences laid after weeks-long blaze at Thorncliffe Park condo buildings
· Toronto Sun
Toronto Fire Chief Jim Jessop said fire code violation charges have been laid against a construction company, a condo corporation and a property management team following a five-alarm fire that broke out in two Thorncliffe Park high-rises on Nov. 27, 2025.
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The blaze, which took weeks to put out , started at 11 Thorncliffe Park Dr., but spread to the adjoining tower at 21 Overlea Blvd.
The fire started inside the walls and combustible particle board smoldered for several weeks before it was finally declared extinguished on Dec. 15, 2025 .
‘Complex and unprecedented’ challenges
High carbon monoxide levels — which made some of the areas uninhabitable — were also detected and both buildings were evacuated.
“It presented one of the most complex and unprecedented and prolonged firefighting challenges ever experienced by Toronto Fire Services,” Jessop said Thursday during a three-minute news conference at City Hall where he didn’t take any questions.
Jessop said “a comprehensive investigation” led by Toronto Fire’s investigative division with help from Toronto Police looked at “the origin, cause and circumstances of the fire as well as the post-fire inspection to assess fire code compliance at the properties.”
The fire chief alleged that “construction activities were being undertaken at 11 Thorncliffe Park Dr., whereby ignition sources were used near combustible materials causing the fire to ignite. Toronto Fire Services was not notified of the fire for over 30 minutes.”
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Charges include fire code violations
PFC Construction Inc. is facing multiple Ontario Fire Code charges including failing to protect combustible materials from ignition sources during from hot surface applications; failing to conduct a fire watch and ensure a fire warning is sounded to alert occupants and notify the fire department; and failing to provide portable fire extinguishers when conducting hot surface applications.
The condo corporation associated with 11 Thorncliffe Park Dr., the Metropolitan Toronto Condominium Corporation 956, and DEL Property Management Inc. are also facing the fire code violation charge of failing to implement the building’s fire safety plan.
“All three defendants are scheduled to appear in provincial offences court later this month,” said Jessop. “Given the pending court matters, Toronto Fire Services will not be providing further details on this incident.”
More than 400 units were evacuated when the fire broke out with some residents being housed in hotel rooms. Some residents were allowed to return to their units beginning in January .