Another fire breaks out at 650 Parliament

Emergency crews responded to a fire in the highrise apartment building at 650 Parliament Street Wednesday morning.

The highrise has been vacant since Aug. 21, 2018 after an electrical fire tore through the building, forcing more than 1,500 people to leave.

Capt. Karen Reid with Toronto Fire Services said Wednesday’s fire started in one of the vacant apartments on the 15th floor.

Fire crews were called to the area shortly before 8 a.m.

Fire Chief Matthew Pegg later tweeted that the fire had been fully extinguished and there were no injuries reported.

The Aug. 2018 fire started in the basement of the building and sent thick plumes of smoke pouring out of multiple apartments, causing substantial structural damage and knocking out the electrical system.

Residents were initially told to expect to move back into their units in early 2019. Then, in February, Wellesley Parliament Square — the company that owns the highrise — said they may be able to return in June.

In March, the estimated return date was pushed forward to August.

Pegg said a fire investigations team was sent in to determine the cause of Wednesday’s fire.

Platoon Chief Kevin Shaw with Toronto Fire Services said contractors working on the electrical system noticed smoke and called it in.

“Fortunately they got it, making sure that everybody was out of the building,” Shaw told reporters at the scene.