Ken Einboden is shown with his daughters Britney and Kendra. 
Ken Einboden is shown with his daughters Britney and Kendra. (Facebook)

The smoke alarm in the North York home where a father and his 12-year-old daughter died last weekend, did not have a working battery.

Toronto fire officials said Friday the fire in the home on Kemp Square last Sunday was started by an unattended pot of boiling oil.

A fire erupted and quickly spread through the house.

Ken Einboden, 44, managed to save his infant daughter, Kendra, but died when he went back into the fire-filled home to rescue his 12-year-old daughter Britney. She succumbed to her injuries a day later at Toronto's Hospital for Sick Children.

At a news conference on Friday Deputy Fire Chief Frank Lamie said he was "upset." The fire, he said, "shouldn't have happened."

A check of homes near the fatal fire found only 40 per cent have working smoke alarms. Lamie said, "that's not a very good average."

Fire officials say they will be blitzing homes across Toronto in the coming weeks – checking to see if smoke detectors are working properly. Residents will be issued a warning – but could face stiff fines if the alarms are not fixed promptly.

A funeral for the father and daughter is scheduled for Saturday.