Cause of recent fire at 650 Parliament St. determined

On July 10, Toronto Fire Services responded to a fire at 650 Parliament St. Toronto Fire Services were able to contain the fire to a single unit and extinguish the fire in less than 20 minutes from the time of the initial call. There were no injuries. 

Last August, an electrical fire at 650 Parliament St. displaced all of the tenants in the apartment building. The tenants are still unable to return to their homes while the building’s electrical system is being upgraded.

The Toronto Fire Services’ Investigations Division conducted an investigation into the origin, cause and circumstances of Wednesday’s fire, in collaboration with the Electrical Safety Authority (ESA). The investigation determined the fire was caused by the ignition of combustible materials that were left on a stovetop burner. The stovetop burner was left in the “on” position following the building’s evacuation last year. On Wednesday, during re-energizing and testing of the electrical system by a third-party contractor, the material left on the stovetop caught fire when the electricity to the unit was turned on.

City of Toronto and Toronto Fire Services continues to work in partnership with the ESA and the building’s landlord to ensure electrical safety. The ESA will conduct inspections of any electrical work in the building, as requested, to ensure compliance with the Ontario Electrical Safety Code. 

Questions regarding when tenants will be able to return to their homes at 650 Parliament St. should be referred to the building’s landlord.

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