Suspicious fire in East York.
A Toronto firefighter joins the battle against a two-alarm fire that gutted a home on Wallington Avenue in the early hours of Thursday. Arriving crews found the basement of the house fully involved, with fire spreading to the upper floors. No injuries were reported in the blaze that is now under investigation by the Ontario Fire Marshal's office. (March 18, 2010)
Photo/JOHN HANLEY
A $200,000 blaze at a vacant East York home is considered suspicious.â?¨Fire crews were called to 19 Wallington Ave. near Lumsden Avenue and Main Street at 12:22 a.m. Thursday, March 18.Capt. Mike Strapko said there were flames coming from basement windows. "Pumper 224 crew forced open the front door but were unable to enter because of heat, heavy smoke and extensive electrical arching at the hydro panel at the front of the house," he said. "Also the living room floor was compromised because the fire had burned its way up through the floor so the firefighters did a defensive attack from the outside."There were 15 trucks and 60 firefighters at the scene of the two-alarm blaze."The main body of the fire was knocked down at 1:45 (a.m.), and the fire was announced under control at 2:02 (a.m.)," Strapko said. "The fire marshal's office has been notified because the fire did appear to be suspicious."There were no injuries reported.