Firefighters battling three-alarm fire at Golden Mile store

Firefighters continue to battle a massive three-alarm blaze that broke out at an electronics store in the city’s Golden Mile neighbourhood Monday evening.
The fire broke out at the business on Warden Avenue near Upton Road at around 7:35 p.m. and quickly escalated.
Flames and heavy smoke were seen billowing from the building, with smoke visible for several kilometres around the site.
“It’s a fairly old building – I would guess 50 years old or more –  which sometimes makes it harder to fight,” Chief Bob O’Hallarn told CP24 at the scene.
He said more than 20 trucks and at least 85 firefighters are at the scene to combat the blaze.
Toronto Paramedic Services said two firefighters were being assessed for minor injuries. O’Hallarn said both were taken to hospital to be treated for a non-life-threatening injuries sustained when one of the building’s walls collapsed.
He said a number of small explosions were also observed at the site, as items in the units, possibly compressed air, exploded due to the heat.
He said fire crews were originally inside the building and on the roof to fight the flames, but withdrew when the structure became unsafe, with a danger of air conditioning units falling through the roof.
“While they were there the roof started to sag badly so they pulled the crews out because it was obviously too dangerous to have crews in there,” O’Hallarn said. “We’ve been fighting the fire defensively ever since.”
No one is believed to have been inside the building when the fire broke out.
Police and firefighters asked residents and other people nearby to stay indoors and keep doors and windows shut to avoid the smoke.
“There’s nothing we’re aware of that’s particularly toxic in the smoke, but any smoke is toxic – you shouldn’t be in it if you don’t have to be,” O’Hallarn said.
The Office of the Fire Marshall has been notified and is expected to investigate due to the large dollar value of the damage, though no estimate was immediately available.
It’s not yet clear how the fire started.
Firefighters are expected to remain at the scene overnight to put out hot spots.
Warden Avenue is expected to remain closed between Eglinton and St. Clair avenues overnight and into the morning, police said. People are being advised to avoid the area.