Toronto police are investigating a two-alarm fire that heavily damaged a Scarborough strip mall early Wednesday morning and are treating the incident as suspicious.
Emergency crews were initially dispatched to the mixed-use plaza near Kennedy Road and Eglinton Avenue East at about 2:27 a.m. following reports of a break-in. When firefighters and police arrived, they found several commercial units and a vehicle fully engulfed in flames.
The plaza includes both businesses and residential units, including a massage parlour. The corner business sustained the most extensive damage.
Firefighters encountered difficult conditions as the flames spread into the building’s roof overhang, requiring crews to cut through the structure to reach hidden fire. Additional firefighters were called in after the intense conditions damaged cutting equipment. The blaze was eventually brought under control without any serious injuries.
Paramedics assessed three people at the scene, including one firefighter, but none required hospital treatment. Police said about 10 residents were displaced by the fire, while several businesses were forced to remain closed.
Authorities have not identified any suspects, and investigators continue to examine the cause, origin, and circumstances of the fire.