It turns out that a substance that leaked into the subway tunnel near College Station and forced the suspension of service on a significant stretch of the Yonge line throughout the morning rush hour Tuesday was not gasoline.
TTC officials had initially feared that the mysterious liquid that was pouring through an expansion joint was the result of a gas leak, however TTC spokesperson Brad Ross told CP24 Wednesday that testing by Toronto Fire Services has revealed that it was “ground water contaminated with lubricating-type oils” that it likely picked up from the soil.
Ross, however, stressed that suspending service between Bloor and Union stations was the right decision given the potentially flammable nature of the liquid.
“It could burn and catch fire, so it was the right thing to do in shutting down the system,” he said.
Service was halted from shortly after midnight Tuesday until about 1:50 p.m. as crews worked to plug the leak and then waited to ensure that it did not reappear elsewhere in the tunnel.
The issue caused massive headaches for commuters, who had to cram on to one of about 70 shuttle buses to get to their destination during the closure.
Ross thanked customers for being understanding and patient during the closure.
“Torontonians were great. I think for the most part they accept it when we explain that we are putting safety first,” he said. “What they want from us is clear communication, good crowd control and information.”
TTC officials continue to investigate the source of the leak and are keeping a “close eye” on possible reoccurrences, Ross added.
Former chair critical of TTC’s response
While the Ross said that the decision to shut down the busy segment of the subway line was the right move, the former chair of the TTC is questioning the transit authority’s response to the problem.
“From my perspective, there was a lack of urgency,” former TTC chair Karen Stintz told CP24 Wednesday afternoon.
“I accept that there was a leak they had to deal with, but that was 11 o’clock at night, and the system didn’t reopen until well after 2 (p.m.) the next day,” she said.
Stintz also questioned why other parts of the system not directly affected by the closure had service impacts, specifically longer-than-normal travel times, and why illegally parked vehicles along Yonge Street were not cleared to allow shuttle buses to move commuters more efficiently.
“From the way that passenger assists are dealt with, from other kinds of incidents that are dealt with, I just think there should be a greater sense of urgency in getting the system reopened.”
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