An electrical failure of an unspecified bedroom appliance caused the fire that left 16 students in the Village homeless on April 1, 2013, Toronto Fire Services has determined.
Captain Adrian Ratushniak tells Excalibur that the failure of the appliance resulted in flames that destroyed the rooflines of two houses on Assiniboine Road. According to Ratushniak, the Office of the Ontario Fire Marshall has ruled out foul play and has stopped its investigation.
Ratushniak says the fire left the upper bedrooms of units 237 and 239 on Assiniboine Road completely destroyed as a result of smoke and water damages, while a gas leak occurred at 241, which was also vacated.
Joanne Rider of York media says students and residents who were impacted by the fire received extensive help from the York community and were relocated to Founders College Residence and the Executive Learning Centre.
“We tried our best to ensure that students had a place to stay until they could figure out other accommodations,” says Rider.
She added that the Registrar’s Office helped students in arranging academic support by postponing exam and assignment dates.
Janet Morrison, vice-provost students, said that the York Federation of Students helped students by providing clothing, financial donations, and basic toiletries, while Campus Services and Business Operations provided all students with $100 in cash and a $100 YU-meal card.
Students displaced by the fire expressed their gratitude for assistance and care provided to them by the university.
Jessia Arsenio, a York student who lived in one of the units, tweeted “I cannot possibly thank York University and YFS enough.”
Yuangyangzi Chang, an exchange student from Singapore who lived in one of the houses, says the university’s immediate action helped her face what would have been an otherwise stressful situation.
“I had assignments due during the week of the fire, and York let my professors know immediately,” says Chang. “They also arranged accommodation for me because they knew I was an exchange student. It was one less thing to worry about.”
In addition to the 16 York students, the university also provided assistance to 14 residents of the homes who were not students.
According to Ratushniak, the damages of the fire are estimated to be $350,000.
Rameeza Ahmed
Assistant News Editor
