Northbound DVP closed until Friday as fire-damaged building demolished The northbound Don Valley Parkway is closed from the Gardiner Expressway to Dundas Street until 6 a.m. Friday as crews demolish a vacant building at 2 Matilda St. destroyed by a suspicious three-alarm fire. The northbound lanes of the Don Valley Parkway will remain closed until Friday morning as crews demolish a vacant building next to the highway that was destroyed by a massive fire. City officials said the northbound DVP is blocked from the Gardiner Expressway to Dundas Street until 6 a.m. Friday. The fire broke out at 2 Matilda St. shortly after 9:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 14, 2026. The building sits adjacent to the highway, just south of Dundas Street, and was heavily damaged by the three-alarm blaze. Ashley Curtis with the City of Toronto's Transportation Services said the building's proximity to the highway forced the closure.Demolition Closes Don Valley ParkwayAs the building is only approximately 30 feet away from the edge of the Don Valley Parkway, the roadway needs to be closed during that demolition to ensure the safety of both the travelling public and the demolition crews, Curtis said during a Thursday afternoon news conference. The work will be completed overnight to minimize disruption, she added. The Don Roadway, Eastern Avenue, and Queen Street ramps are also closed during the demolition work.Motorists are being advised to use alternate routes while the closures remain in effect. Toronto Fire Services Chief Jim Jessop said heavy equipment will be brought to the site to systematically take portions of the building down. Demolishing the structure, he explained, will allow crews to finally conduct primary and secondary searches of the building and to continue operations of fire suppression to get to the point of loss stop.When crews first responded to the fire, Jessop said they were met with heavy flames coming out of every opening of the building. The fire was quickly escalated to a third alarm, he said. A portion of the DVP and other nearby roads were blocked as crews surrounded the building to fight the fire.Fire Crews Surround Vacant BuildingThe incident commander correctly made the decision to surround the building with elevated devices, including shutting down portions of the Don Valley last night, so that we could get our master streams and aerials up so that we could get as much water on the fire as quickly as possible, given the intensity of the fire, Jessop said. Paramedics said one police officer was taken to hospital with minor injuries.The building, which used to house a live event space and a coffee company, has been vacant for years, the chief said. The cause, origin, and circumstances of the fire are unknown. Police confirmed to CP24 on Thursday morning that the fire was deemed suspicious. Jessop said Toronto Fire's investigations division will lead the probe into the blaze with the assistance of Toronto police.Investigation Launches After Suspicious FireHe noted that the Office of the Fire Marshal was notified but declined to attend. City officials said the demolition is expected to continue through the overnight hours so the northbound parkway can reopen by 6 a.m. Friday. Until then, drivers are asked to avoid the area and plan alternate routes.