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A teenage boy in Toronto is dead after a tragic start to the Canada Day holiday.
The 14-year-old died after he and another teen were pulled from a swimming pool in an east-end apartment near Finch Avenue and McCowan Road in suburban Scarborough on Wednesday.
The second 14-year-old boy was revived and is in serious condition in hospital.
Police said the two boys had been invited by a friend for a swim to celebrate the end of the school year and the end of Grade 8 at Henry Kelsey Senior Public School. One of the boys jumped into the deep end, but couldn't swim.
His friend then jumped in to help.
One boy was pronounced dead at Scarborough Grace Hospital, while the other is on life support at Toronto's Hospital for Sick Children with minimal brain activity and is not expected to survive.
Friend witnesses tragedy from pool deck
A third boy, who lives at the building, witnessed everything from his wheelchair, said Staff Sgt. Gerry Heaney.
Police said arrangements have been made to help that boy deal with the tragic situation.
'I always feel it's so safe and it's well-maintained and well-monitored. So I'm really shocked honestly.'—Jing Xu, neighbour
Heaney said the accident was captured by video surveillance, but there are no lifeguards at the pool.
"It's an unsupervised pool. There is rules with respect to anyone under 16 years of age cannot swim unless they're accompanied by an adult or they're a strong swimmer," said Heaney.
Heaney said the boys were at the bottom of the pool for at least 10 minutes before police and fire personnel rescued them.
Jing Xu lives in the neighbourhood and says she's shocked about the accident.
"I always feel it's so safe, and it's well-maintained and well-monitored. So I'm really shocked honestly," said Xu.
"It's really a tragedy. I just hope it never happens again."
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