Toronto firefighters battle a massive overnight fire on 161 Wheeler Ave. in The Beaches.John Hanley for The Globe and Mail
A massive fire has severely damaged three houses in the Beaches.
The four-alarm blaze started inside a home at 161 Wheeler Avenue, near Kingston Road and Woodbine Avenue, around 11:45 p.m. Monday. The detached home, which was completely destroyed, was undergoing renovations and was vacant at the time.
"The flames were so strong and the heat was so strong it actually caught the neighbouring homes on fire, too," said Captain Mike Strapko of Toronto Fire Services.
One of the adjacent homes was unoccupied, but a couple and their five-year-old son were sleeping in the other house. They escaped when the man "woke up and saw a big orange glow," Capt. Strapko said.
The neighbouring homes sustained roof damage as well as interior fire and water damage. Overall damage to the three houses is estimated at $1.5-million.
Twenty fire trucks and 85 firefighters responded to the blaze. One person was treated on scene for minor smoke inhalation.
The Fire Marshal's Office is investigating the cause of the fire.