Season 1 | Episode 6: Burning Season

In 2011, a massive fire tore down a 19th century heritage building and threatened Toronto's downtown core. The high-profile case still haunts detective Debbie Harris. "This is someone who had gone leaps and bounds beyond that typical arsonist. There was an evil side of him."

Episode preview

Burning Season - Episode preview

7 years ago

Duration 1:42

In 2011, a massive fire tore down a 19th century heritage building and threatened Toronto’s downtown core. The high-profile case still haunts detective Debbie Harris.

What made this case unique?

• After the Empress Hotel fire, the Toronto Arson Task Force was established to educate fire and police personnel, and analyze and track fire data to identify areas of concern.

About the detective

Retired Detective Sergeant Debbie Harris served 31 years on the Toronto Police Service. She has received the William Bishop Award for Investigative Excellence and a teamwork commendation for the Eaton Centre shooting in 2012, as well as a commendation for exceptional performance of duty in 2013. She retired from the Toronto Police Service in 2015 and currently works for the Ontario Office of the Fire Marshal.

Cast