Emergency crews pulled a man and a woman from a burning home on Anthia Drive. The two were discovered without vital signs and rushed to hospital.
Investigators will be probing the circumstances surrounding an early morning house fire in North York that left two people dead.
The fire broke out at a detached home on Anthia Drive, located near Islington and Steeles avenues, at around 4 a.m.
“Upon our arrival, our crews were met with heavy smoke conditions, they forced their way into the house, started their primary search, and immediately found two elderly occupants in the house,” Toronto Fire Chief Jim Jessop told reporters at the scene on Tuesday morning.
Life-saving measures were attempted on the front lawn of the home before the two occupants were transported to hospital by paramedics.
house, fire, Anthia A man and woman were pulled from a house fire in North York early Tuesday morning. (Mike Nguyen/ CP24)
Jessop said the elderly man and woman were subsequently pronounced dead in hospital.
“I want to extend our deepest condolences to those impacted by this double fatal fire,” he added.
“These scenes are always very difficult for all first-responders.”
Fire crews would have had near-zero visibility inside the home when they located the two occupants this morning, Jessop noted.
“There was a significant amount of smoke damage in that building for sure,” he said.
Jessop said it is too early to tell if the fire is suspicious.
Investigators with Toronto Fire Services, Toronto police, and the Office of the Fire Marshal will be probing the cause, origin, and circumstances surrounding the fire.
Jessop said the precise origin of the fire is not yet known but it appears to have started near the bedroom.
