It’s been nearly a month since residents of two buildings in Thorncliffe Park were forced to evacuate due to one of the most peculiar fires in Toronto history. With Christmas just days away, there is still no word on when they might be able to return home.
“Living day by day,” said one resident who stopped to speak with CityNews. “God knows only the timeline.”
Several residents could be seen going into the neighbouring condo buildings on Sunday, grabbing items with the realization they would be celebrating the holidays away from their homes. While some expressed optimism that there is a light at the end of the tunnel, at least one man says the uncertainty forced his decision to move his soon-to-be family of four out of the building.
“My wife is about to give birth, and we didn’t know how long it would take, so that’s why we decided to leave,” he explained.
With Christmas just days away, a local hotel where many of the displaced residents have been temporarily housed is attempting to spread a little holiday cheer, hosting a luncheon for them on Christmas Eve.
“Certainly these residents have been through enough, and I think the displacement has cost a fair amount of stress for them, …it leaves a lot of them vulnerable, leaves a lot of them away from their families,” said Kevin Porter, the general manager at Toronto Don Valley Hotel.
“We’ve got some wonderful food, the chef’s going to prepare a lovely buffet. We’ve reached out to several vendors and partners and asked for some gifts and those kinds of things, so we’re going to do some draws and have some fun and play some Christmas music, just a way to try and show some humanity at this time of year.”
After being called to the buildings on November 27, it took fire crews 18 days to extinguish the unprecedented blaze, which was found to be burning between the walls of the two buildings. With little room to access the smouldering fire, crews tested innovative ways to battle a fire they couldn’t actually see.
Fire services handed back the properties to the management company on December 16, who then had to hire third-party engineers to assess the buildings while work began to make them safe for re-occupancy.
City officials say once the engineers have completed their assessment, a report will be issued outlining what is safe and what repairs are required. Only then will the city decide when over 400 displaced residents can return home.
