Toronto sees three apartment fires in one day; two killed, four injured

Three separate apartment fires were reported across Toronto on Tuesday, leaving two people dead and four others, including two children, injured.

According to officials, the first fire broke out at around 3:15 a.m. on the eighth floor of a 19-storey apartment building near Ontario Street and St. James Avenue. Toronto Fire Services' preliminary investigation suggests the blaze was caused by a lithium-ion battery from an e-bike. Four members of the same family, including children aged 12 and 14, suffered burn injuries and were rushed to hospital by Toronto Paramedic Services.

Later that morning, at approximately 7:45 a.m., emergency crews responded to another high-rise apartment fire on the 16th floor of a building near Neilson Road and McLevin Avenue in Scarborough. One person was pronounced dead at the scene.

A third fire was reported at around 10:30 a.m. on the 19th floor of a Toronto Community Housing building at 200 Wellesley Street East. Authorities said the fire started in the kitchen while cooking, and one person died in the incident.

Toronto Police and Toronto Fire Services are continuing to investigate all three fires.