An improperly or overdriven staple has been deemed the most likely cause of a massive fire that destroyed the historic Toronto Islands clubhouse and café, a Toronto Fire investigation reveals.
Fire crews arrived on scene at the Ward’s Island Association Clubhouse at around 2:30 a.m. on Sunday, March 17, 2024, to find the structure engulfed in flames.
In the end the storied clubhouse, which also contained the Island Cafe, was totally destroyed, devastating the tight-knit island community.
A lengthy investigation found that the fire started in a crawl space in the south-west corner of the building, near the kitchen area.
The probe found that the location of the fire underneath the primarily wooden structure allowed gases to build up, and when the flames sprouted a northeasterly wind clock at around 25 km/h helped feed and spread the fire.
“The area of fire origin, building construction, interior finishes and weather were all contributing factors in the rapid growth of this fire that resulted in the total loss of this structure,” the report states.
It adds that the wiring which fed the electrical panels for The Island Cafe ran below the structure and were stapled to beams under the south end of the building, where the fire started.
“A severed wire with a staple fused to it exhibiting a large globule on the end was located in the area of origin,” the report states.
After exhausting other possible causes, the report concluded that a staple making contact with the conductor started the fire, now deemed accidental.
“In conclusion, the (evidence) supports that the fire originated under the building. Therefore, one probable, credible and competent hypothesis remains — electrical failure due to an overdriven or improperly installed staple.”
