Man, woman dead after Thornhill house fire

A man and a woman have died after a fire broke out at a home in Thornhill, Ont., on Saturday evening. Vaughan Deputy Fire Chief Mike Doyle said fire crews received report of a house fire on Conley Street near Steeles Avenue West and Dufferin Street shortly after 7:40 p.m. When crews arrived, heavy smoke was coming from the home, he said.

Crews located two occupants — a man and a woman in their 40s — in a basement apartment. Life saving support was performed on them but they were pronounced dead at the scene. Two other occupants who were on the upper floors of the home were able to self evacuate with no injuries, Doyle said. Vaughan Fire Chief Andrew Zvanitajs said the other occupants were able to escape because of a working smoke alarm on the main floor.

"They saw smoke coming out of a basement register, and they self evacuated and called 911 from a neighbour's residence," Zvanitajs told reporters at the scene Saturday. The circumstances behind the fire are currently unknown. "We will be undertaking an investigation at first light to determine the cause of this fire." The Ontario Fire Marshal is on scene Sunday to look into the circumstances surrounding the fire along with York Regional Police.

When asked if the basement apartment had working smoke alarms, Zvanitajs said fire crews were informed there was. He urged the public to have working smoke and carbon monoxide alarms. "That buys you time, and that's the one thing we can't give you. You buy yourself time with a working smoke alarm, and you give yourself that chance to get out," Zvanitajs said.

Vaughan Mayor Steven Del Duca offered his condolences Saturday night on X, formerly Twitter. "The effects of events such as this one can be felt by the entire community; our hearts are heavy for the loss of two individuals," Del Duca said..