Toronto police reveal new details about massive fire that gutted historic west-end yacht club

A three-alarm fire gutted the clubhouse of an Etobicoke yacht club on Wednesday morning.

Toronto police say a fire that ripped through a decades-old yacht club in the city’s west end on Wednesday may have been intentionally set.

Police confirmed to CP24 Thursday that they are investigating the three-alarm fire at Toronto Humber Yacht Club, near Bloor Street West and Royal York Road, as suspected arson.

Some 100 firefighters and 27 fire trucks responded to the three-alarm fire at approximately 4:45 a.m. Wednesday. Deputy Chief Paul Fitzgerald described the firefight as complex and said that the clubhouse’s roof was gone by the time the flames were extinguished hours later.

Police haven’t identified any suspect or suspects in connection with the fire or pointed to what may have motivated it.

The Office of the Fire Marshal (OFM) has been notified and are involved in the investigation.

Coun. Amber Morley called the fire at club, which opened in 1956, “unexpected and deeply unfortunate,” noting that her office had been engaged in the future of the site for the last several months.

The yacht club is housed on land owned by the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority. Last month, the city decided not to renew its lease due to environmental concerns. For it’s part, the yacht club filed a notice to review the decision.

In a statement posted online, the yacht club said it had been working to protect the future of the site and remained hopeful that it could be saved. It called the early-morning Wednesday fire a “heartbreaking setback” to that effort.

“Right now, our focus is on supporting our members and co-operating with the appropriate authorities as they investigate. We will not speculate on the circumstances and will share further information when available,” the club’s statement reads in part.

With files from Codi Wilson