Man in his 70s dead, woman critically injured following fire at apartment in Toronto’s east end

Officials say residents attempted to rescue two people from a burning apartment in Leslieville where one person eventually died.

A man in his 70s has died and a woman is fighting for her life in hospital following an apartment fire in Toronto east end early Sunday morning.

Police say shortly after midnight they responded to a call for a fire in the Leslieville neighbourhood.

The blaze broke out at 1320 Gerrard St. E. at Glenside Avenue, just east of Greenwood Avenue - less than a block away from the Festival of South Asia.

Toronto fire told CP24 that crews were met with “heavy smoke” on the fourth floor of a building.

They also confirmed that one person was pronounced dead in hospital.

Paramedics say a woman, who they said is in her 70s, was transported to the hospital in critical condition.

A third patient was also taken to the hospital to be treated for minor injuries, fire officials said.

Area resident Derrik Kinear stopped by the building on Sunday. He said that he knew the man who died, adding that he lived there with a caregiver.

“It’s pretty sad. You know, somebody lost their life,” he said.

Toronto fire has since confirmed that a woman in her 60s was rushed to the hospital with serious burns.

They say the two were trapped inside the unit while neighbours were trying to help them get out.

“On arrival at the fourth floor, there were some residents attempting to rescue the occupants,” Division Commander Paul O’Brien said.

“We rescued two occupants, brought them down to the lobby. One occupant was vital signs absent.”

Rick Littlejohn lives across the street and said he saw crews battling the two-alarm fire just after midnight.

“(The firefighters were) working hard. They tried, they really tried,” he said.

“I thought the lights were from the festival.”

Images provided to CTV News Toronto by a resident show the severe damage to the unit visible from the hall.

Fire investigation now underway

The Office of the Fire Marshal has been notified and is attending to investigate the cause of the fire, which remains unknown at this time.

Toronto police forensics was also seen at the scene.

Gerrard was closed at Greenwood, but has since reopened.

With files from CTV News Toronto’s Sean Leathong