A man has died after an early-morning fire in Richmond Hill that began with multiple vehicle fires before spreading to two semi-detached homes, officials said Wednesday.
Emergency crews were called to Crosby Avenue between Newkirk Road and Bayview Avenue at approximately 3 a.m. after reports of a structure fire.
Speaking at a morning briefing, Richmond Hill Fire Chief Tom Rayburn described the incident as an exceptionally challenging and chaotic scene for first responders.
Rayburn said firefighters arrived to find three vehicles on fire between two semi-detached homes, with both residences already engulfed in flames. Some occupants had managed to get out on their own, while others were trapped inside and had to be rescued by firefighters.
Officials noted that the blaze was difficult to attack because several entrances to the homes were blocked by the burning vehicles.
Rayburn said responding crews characterized the fire as one of the most chaotic scenes they had ever encountered.
York Regional Police Staff Sgt. Peter Cheung said firefighters located a man in the basement of one of the homes and removed him from the building with vital signs absent. The victim, a 69-year-old man, was later pronounced dead at approximately 6 a.m.
Fire is believed to have started in the vehicles before spreading to both homes
Families were inside both residences when the fire broke out, police said. Both homes were evacuated.
No other injuries have been reported.
“It woke my kids up because of the flashing lights,” one neighbour told CityNews. “The flames were pretty crazy. There were sounds of explosions … it was definitely a freaky scene.”
Authorities have not determined the cause of the fire and say it is too early to say whether it is suspicious. The Office of the Fire Marshal has been called in and will work alongside investigators to determine how the blaze started.
Officials also said it remains unclear whether smoke alarms were activated during the fire. While the vehicles involved were heavily damaged, Rayburn said there is currently no indication they were electric vehicles.
Road closures remained in effect in the area as investigators continued to examine the scene.
The investigation remains ongoing.
