Residents of one of the two condominium buildings impacted by a significant fire incident in Thorncliffe Park have begun the process of returning to their residences, several weeks after being evacuated. The fire, which originated on Nov. 27, affected the interconnected structures located at 11 Thorncliffe Park Dr. and 21 Overlea Blvd., leading to the evacuation of over 400 units in the complex.
One resident, Jacqui Julien, who resides at 11 Thorncliffe Park Dr., expressed immense joy upon receiving the news that she could now return home with her husband. Despite spending the entire month of December at the Toronto Don Valley Hotel and Suites, she described her excitement at the prospect of returning to an untouched unit as “fantastic” and highlighted the challenges faced during the evacuation period, emphasizing the safety of all residents.
Following the extinguishing of the fire by Toronto Fire Services on Dec. 15, the assessment of damages by engineering teams working with property management entities was necessary before allowing residents to re-enter the buildings. In a communication to the residents of 11 Thorncliffe Park Dr., Del Property Management Inc., the building’s maintenance company, informed that partial reoccupation was authorized by the city, allowing 50 units to be reoccupied.
While Julien joyfully returned to her unit after receiving the notification on Sunday, residents of the adjacent building at 21 Overlea Blvd. are still awaiting clearance for re-entry. The fire, attributed to combustible particle board in an expansion joint, required extensive efforts to ensure complete extinguishment, leading to additional damage as crews accessed the source by breaching walls in some units.
Displaced resident Yiannis Fotopoulos, who remains lodged in a hotel with his wife, expressed eagerness to return home and emphasized the importance of the pending air quality test results. Although uncertain about the exact timeline for their return, Fotopoulos expressed relief knowing that his neighbors had started the re-entry process, signaling a positive step forward. Sixteen units within an “exclusion zone” on floors three to ten at 11 Thorncliffe Park Dr. remain excluded from reoccupancy due to their location behind corridor hoarding, as per the property management company’s directives.
