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Two-alarm fire damages home on Boxing Day
thurs jan 3, 2013
winter wonderland
LISA RAINFORD lrainford@insidetoronto.com A family was robbed of their Christmas gifts after a fire broke out in their Dupont and Dundas West streets area home on Boxing Day. Yet, all was not ruined when Toronto firefighters not only extinguished the blaze, but replaced the majority of the gifts they lost. The story has “a bit of a happy ending,” for the family of 10, Toronto Fire Capt. Mike Strapko told The Villager. After speaking with the family, fire fighters from the Junction fire hall no. 423 paid a visit to the Toronto Fire Fighter Toy Drive Warehouse in Scarborough from which they replaced the damaged presents. “The toy drive is going on right now,” said Strapko. A retiree is stationed at the warehouse at all times, he said, while family, friends and colleagues deliver gifts and toys to shelters and hospitals – especially on Christmas Day. “Even throughout the year, if there’s a family that has suffered a fire, if there’s children, someone will find out what their ages are,” he said. Fire crews were called to the townhouse at 30 Pelham Park Gardens, near Davenport Road and Osler Street, at 10 a.m. last Wednesday. The smoke alarms had activated so everyone escaped without injury, reported Strapko. The fire was caused by “careless discard >>>CREWS, page 6
Staff photo/IAN KELSO
snow day: The last couple of days of snow has made ideal conditions for winter sports like cross country skiing or perhaps using one of the wooded trails for toboggan run like Ken Grant and Brielle did at High Park on Saturday. See more winter photos around High Park on page 5.
Public health warns of increased flu cases Toronto Public Health (TPH) is advising Torontonians of an increase in influenza cases over the last few weeks. As of Dec. 15, eight institutional outbreaks and 135 lab-confirmed cases have been reported to TPH. Hospitals can expect an increased pressure in emergency departments
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and emergency admissions over the next two weeks and may expect to experience flow issues when elective surgery re-opens in January. Family physicians and walk-in clinics can also expect to see increased volumes of patients presenting with influenza-like illness (ILI). Many emergency departments and
clinic settings will be implementing additional procedures for preventing influenza transmission, such as additional signage regarding hand hygiene and masking of symptomatic patients in waiting areas, additional personal protective equipment for triage nurses, and segregated waiting areas.
TPH recommends that people get their influenza immunization if they have not already done so. Vaccine is available from family physicians, Occupational Health Services and some pharmacies. For the most current weekly information on influenza activity in Toronto, visit www.toronto. ca/health/professionals/