TORONTO, October 15, 2026 – A three-alarm fire broke out on the evening of October 14 at a commercial building that had been vacant for years in Toronto’s Riverside neighbourhood. Flames reached the roof, and parts of the building’s interior walls and ceiling collapsed. One police officer suffered minor injuries, while a man in his 30s was taken to hospital.
Fire crews were called shortly after 9:30 p.m. and arrived near 2 Matilda Street, east of the Don Valley Parkway. Heavy smoke and flames were already visible coming from the roof and windows, and the fire was later upgraded to a third alarm.
Because of severe damage inside the building, firefighters were at one point unable to continue entering the structure. Crews fought the fire from outside and used aerial equipment to direct water into the building. After the main fire was brought under control, firefighters remained on scene to extinguish hot spots and inspect affected areas.
The injured police officer was taken to hospital with minor injuries. A man in his 30s was also transported to hospital, but authorities have not released information about his condition. No deaths have been reported.
The building had been vacant for several years and had previously been used as an event venue and as office space for a coffee company. Police have not confirmed whether anyone was inside the building when the fire started, and have not disclosed the relationship between the hospitalized man and the incident.
Traffic in the surrounding area was temporarily affected during firefighting operations. Parts of the northbound Don Valley Parkway, as well as areas near Queen Street and Dundas Street, were temporarily closed to allow fire vehicles and equipment to access the scene.
Police are currently treating the fire as suspicious, although the cause has not yet been determined. The Office of the Fire Marshal has been called in, and Toronto Building staff also attended to assess the structure.
As of now, police have not released the exact origin point of the fire and have not said whether there is evidence of arson. Whether the damaged building will need to be closed, reinforced or demolished will depend on further inspections.
（LJI by Yuanyuan）
