What Happened
The fire on January 15th at 828 Shaw Street left all tenants displaced and in need of immediate assistance for housing and basic necessities. Many are low income, without tenant insurance, and have had to leave with only the belongings on their backs. They've been fighting for a safe home for years. They deserve one.
The day of the fire
Safety systems failed the residents on January 15th. When the fire started before 6:30am, fire alarms did not sound. For many, they were woken by fire services who rushed them out of their homes, without even basic necessities like eyewear, dentures or phones.
All fire photos taken by @DerekCraig
A dangerous week
A week before the fire there was another fire in this building, in a vacant unit. Toronto fire inspected the building on January 11th and found eight violations. The building was not safe to inhabit, and these residents were not protected.
A history of unsafe issues
The owner/landlord has a documented history of negligence, from this 2018 story about sewage leak and mice in a Parkdale building to this story about apartment dwellers without heat for days in January 2015. The tenants of 828 Shaw have been documenting problems, speaking out and fighting for safe homes for years.
The city should never have allowed tenants to remain after the fire violations logged on January 11th.