Sun Aug. 10 2008 10:29:15 PM
Evacuated residents returning home after blast
cp24.com
A propane facility has been destroyed by a series of explosions early Sunday morning. Photo: Joseph Rowland
Firefighter Bob Leek died during the response to Sunday's seven-alarm blaze. |
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Evacuated residents of a 1.6-kilometre swath of northwest Toronto will be able to return to their houses Sunday night, following a series of early morning explosions that sparked a fire at a propane facility.
Thousands of people who are waiting to enter the area surrounded by Sheppard Avenue and Highway 401, and Dufferin and Keele Streets, received word they would be allowed to return home at about 8 p.m. Sunday.
They have been out of their homes since early this morning following the massive explosions at Sunrise Propane, near Wilson Avenue and Keele Street.
Many returning residents reported being barred from entering the neighbourhood, causing confusion at the numerous barricades blocking people from entering the area.
Police now say it will take a few hours to organize the escorts that will lead residents back to their homes.
"The city doesn't seem to have their act together," says Victor, a local resident who called CP24 after trying to get back into his neighbourhood. "They seem like they're rethinking letting people back home."
Those whose homes were damaged by the blast will be able to spend the night in an emergency shelter being operated by the city, the Red Cross and the Salvation Army at York University.
Police say they will continue patrolling the area throughout the night on the heels of reports of looting following the evacuation.
Highway 401 is being reopened after being closed between the DVP and Highway 400 for much of the day. Full service has been restored on the TTC, which had been closed at the Downsview, Wilson and Yorkdale subway stops.
Officials say that the power is has been restored to the area with the exception of Garret, Plews, Spalding, Catherine and Regent Streets. They say it could take days for gas service to be restored in all homes.
Some businesses in the area have already decided to remain closed on Monday. Bombardier says its deHavilland facility located in the former evacuation zone will not open, and Go Transit says the same for its Yorkdale station.
Firefighter found dead
The explosion occurred at about 4 a.m. and triggered a seven-alarm blaze, which was battled by almost 200 firefighters for much of the day.
Division commander Bob O'Hallarn says the threat of further explosions was significantly reduced thanks to firefighters' dogged efforts to reduce the pressure inside two burning tankers that were full of propane.
There were fears the 220,000-litre tankers would explode if they were not kept cool.
One firefighter, identified as district chief Bob Leek, perished during the effort.
Toronto Fire division chief David Sheen says Leek had 25 years of experience. Sheen says it will take a few days to determine the cause of death. He was found with no vital signs on Regent Road near the site of the blasts and rushed to hospital.
Police say 18 people were hospitalized with minor injuries and one person is still unaccounted for. The missing man is an employee of Sunrise Propane named Parminda Saini.
Another employee was in the facility at the time of the explosion. He has been treated in hospital and released, police say.
Police don't know what caused the blasts, which engulfed the facility in flames and blew out windows in homes in the surrounding blocks.
A lawyer from Sunrise Propane made a brief statement to the media Sunday night, expressing condolences to Toronto firefighters for their loss and to everyone else who was affected by the blast. He did not take any questions.
The sound of the blast could be heard up to seven kilometers away.
Police say air quality readings indicate that the air in the area is not toxic.
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Comments are now closed for this story
August 10, 2008 at 12:33:18 PM
Kim
That was one huge explosion... I live at Bathurst & Finch and it woke me up. My house was shaking and I thought my windows were going to break. Wow. It's a miracle nobody was killed.
August 10, 2008 at 12:34:28 PM
Mark
Where is the mayor? In Chicago or New York City the mayors are always front and center when disasters happen. Where are you Mayor Miller?
August 10, 2008 at 12:40:22 PM
Urfa
I live at steels and bathurst and at the time of blast I woke up with a sound of a big bang. When I got out of the bed and looked outside, found everything getting orange ....it's shocking!!!
August 10, 2008 at 12:48:14 PM
Becka
I was awakened by a big loud sound. It sounded like a huge bomb went off. My husband and I saw the big flare up and just decided to be as far as possible so we left the house at 4:00am.We live in the Dufferin and 401 area.
August 10, 2008 at 12:49:21 PM
KJohn
Why, is Miller a firefighter?
August 10, 2008 at 12:48:14 PM
Becka
I was awakened by a big loud sound. It sounded like a huge bomb went off. My husband and I saw the big flare up and just decided to be as far as possible so we left the house at 4:00am.We live in the Dufferin and 401 area.
August 10, 2008 at 1:02:33 PM
Allison
I live at Park Lawn and the Queensway and I heard multiple explosions starting at around 3:45am which rattled my windows and scared my dog. I actually turned on the radio to listen to find out if there was an explosion somewhere because I was sure it wasn't thunder. When they first started announcing it (just before 4am), I was expecting to hear that it was somewhere nearby, so was completely stunned when they said Keele and Wilson! It even woke up my friend who lives on Lake Shore Blvd. W and shook her condo's windows, so it was heard much further away than 7km!
August 10, 2008 at 1:23:17 PM
Lea
This is not a disaster in the truest sense; no one has been killed so i don't see why the mayor needs to fly in from his vacation. First responders and other city officials are more than capable of handling the situation.
August 10, 2008 at 1:28:06 PM
Trish
I am a resident of Mississauga, and OMB is planning to build a gas-powered power plant only 2kms away from my neighbourhood, and walking distance from Trillium! I am watching this mass evacuation take place affecting thousands of my Toronto neighbours, and hope the OMB STRONGLY reconsiders the plant location so close to where our children play.
August 10, 2008 at 1:36:03 PM
Tara
I live Oakwood/Vaughan area and it jolted me from my bed. And when I went outside 90% of my neighbours were also awake on the street.
August 10, 2008 at 1:39:36 PM
Anthony
My house started to shake, at around 3:30am and there was a after shock about 10minutes after.
August 10, 2008 at 1:40:12 PM
Mike
I was right in the middle of the blast working at Downsview Airport. The blast shook our building and broke many glass. I feel lucky to be alive.
August 10, 2008 at 1:41:07 PM
Fred
the home depot in the blast zone is still open... within the 1.6km. why are they still open? I have a family member that works there and I want them home.
August 10, 2008 at 1:41:24 PM
Robert
Can you imagine that if Toronto had been hosting the Olympics this week? People would have thought it was a terrorist act.
August 10, 2008 at 1:49:20 PM
Joeen Cas
The main reason mayors make themselves present in situations like this in major American cities, is for political/PR reasons. Given this I would guess that, as most people with a healthy sense of place and respect for both the profficient work of all emergency professionals present at the scene of the explosions and fires, and the need to proceed with the evacuation of area residents in an efficient and organized way, Miller realized that his prescence would not only be unneeded and quite out of place, but also could result counter effective.
August 10, 2008 at 1:52:38 PM
Elizabeth
I live at Jane and sheppared , got homea t 3.00am
at 359 heard a big explosion the dog was going crazy
all of a sudden it looked like Fireworks
the flames where so high .
it looked like the ravine was on fire
kept hearing explosion noises
August 10, 2008 at 1:54:13 PM
Anthony
I live about 1 kilometer south of the blast and I was awakened by it this morning. It felt like my house lifted a couple of feet off the ground and then suddenly dropped. My wife and mother in law said they felt a similar tremmor but not as severe a day or so earlier, however, there was no explosion. They thought it was a small earthquake but there was nothing reported on the news about it so they just ignored it. Did anybody feel any tremors a day before?
August 10, 2008 at 1:56:05 PM
Lartese
I live at Sherbourne and Wellesley and I felt the concussion of each explosion. My windows were rattling! I thought something was going down for sure
August 10, 2008 at 1:57:58 PM
Gabi
I can only imagine how huge the explosion must have been. I live at Jarvis and Bloor and the building shook enough to wake me up... for a second I thought it was an earthquake.
August 10, 2008 at 1:58:11 PM
Phil Edwards
Hi -
There was not just one explosion, there were dozens of booms beginning around 3:20am which continued about every minute or so. At the end came the large explosion which rattled our house north of Bathurst and Lawrence - but there was not just the one.
August 10, 2008 at 2:07:47 PM
Jen
My boyfriend and i were asleep at our caledonia and lawrence condo I was awaken at about 4am i thought it was an earthquake and it shook our building within 5minutes it shook our building twice i couldnt see anything then all i heard was poice and firetrucks, after that for about an hour i heard explosions but thought it was thunder it was really scary and i was blocks away i can just see how bad it was for people that were right there. god bless all of you and i hope everyone is safe and not seriously hurt.
August 10, 2008 at 2:08:32 PM
Orion
i live at keele and sheppard, when i heard da first big boom, then i seen da big fireball like 700ft in da sky. went down to see it, got halfway there, met someone dat heard da explosion from da beaches. crazy....question: do i gotta evacuate too? im at brookwell.
August 10, 2008 at 2:09:17 PM
Alicia
We live at Jane St. & Lawrence Ave. and the explosions woke me up last night! (around 3:35) I thought it was a thunder so I went back to sleep. I sleep in the basement, so imagine how loud it must have been since it woke me up!
August 10, 2008 at 2:09:46 PM
Orion
first explosion was at 3:00am on da dot.
August 10, 2008 at 2:14:48 PM
Annesta Fraser
Wendy,
I live on Wilson ave, and was awoken by the first explosion, I look out my Window and at first thought that the neighbor's house was on fire, until there was more explosion. My room mate and i at that moment got in the car and got out of the area. all i had when i left was my cellphone and my night clothes. my apartment is in the ground zero area.
August 10, 2008 at 2:21:32 PM
J
My grandparents lived directly across the street..seeing these videos from a distance I can only imagine what happened to their house..Im so thankfull there okay and no one else was hurt
August 10, 2008 at 2:29:20 PM
Robyn
I live in the Dufferin and Eglinton Area and I was woken up by what I thought was Thunder which when I looked out my window I saw the bright light of orange futher up, saw people running down my street saying thier house was shaking and no one knew what was going on. My neighbour was down by Queens Quay and heard it down there and thats when I heard on his car radio about an explosion.
Man what a night
August 10, 2008 at 2:32:27 PM
Timmy
So are the going to get the worker and the customer at the Home Depot sent home....there too close to where it happened
August 10, 2008 at 2:41:18 PM
Tee
I live at Jane and Woolner and the explosion woke me up... At first I thought it was thunder but when I got up I noticed the big ball of fire and several more booms for about hour or more. It was really scary cause I thought something had crashed into an apartment building but i am so glad that no one was killed.
August 10, 2008 at 2:55:55 PM
Alanna
I have been homless for the past 2weeks and
I just moved into my appartment at keel and wilson, only to be pulled out of it again and homless for another night.
They should have never put that plant there, it should have been places away from residences, what are we all going to go?
There are rooms available at CPL Queensdrive ... (retirement/ must be a senior or accomapnied by a senior) Please contact rapid responce for a referal.
Good luck to my fellow neighbours
August 10, 2008 at 3:00:24 PM
eisenberg
Kim, you spoke too soon. A firefighter has died fighting the fire.
Well, they say (s)he has no vitals, and the hospital says they cannot find any vitals. (S)He may be pronounced dead soon.
August 10, 2008 at 3:02:37 PM
Jen
Wow...this is so insane. I don't live directly in that area, but I live in Vaughan and I'm following this story on the news. I still can't believe that this type of facility is right near a residential area - as it was proven with this terrible explosion, it can be very dangerous and it could have been much worse. I'm hearing that Yorkdale mall is being evacuated now - what is that about? I hope this is the end of any explosions.
August 10, 2008 at 3:06:24 PM
shams
I live by york university campus, and by around 3, we heard a couple of loud bangs, and we could see the light on the sky from the fire, the lights by our street were turning off and on, it really sounded like a nuclear explosion or something, thank god nobody died, hopfully the fire fighter makes it alive.
August 10, 2008 at 3:06:29 PM
rob tavone
To be honest I thought it was thundar the first time around then the second blast ,I felt the shockwave on my face very litely. I still went to bed with out any knowledge of the outcome of the blast.
August 10, 2008 at 3:10:39 PM
Brandon
Does anyone know if the Barrie GO Train will be running tomorrow?
The tracks are about 200m from Murray rd. and Wilson Ave.
August 10, 2008 at 12:33:18 PM
Kim
That was one huge explosion... I live at Bathurst and Finch and it woke me up. My house was shaking and I thought my windows were going to break. Wow. It's a miracle nobody was killed.
August 10, 2008 at 12:40:22 PM
Urfa
I live at Steeles and Bathurst and at the time of blast I woke up with a sound of a big bang. When I got out of the bed and looked outside ,found everything getting orange ....it's shocking!!!
August 10, 2008 at 12:48:14 PM
Becka
I was awakened by a big loud sound. It sounded like a huge bomb went off. My husband and I saw the big flare up and just decided to be as far as possible so we left the house at 4:00am. We live in the Dufferin and 401 area.
August 10, 2008 at 1:02:33 PM
Allison
I live at Park Lawn and the Queensway and I heard multiple explosions starting at around 3:45am which rattled my windows and scared my dog. I actually turned on the radio to listen to find out if there was an explosion somewhere because I was sure it wasn't thunder. When they first started announcing it (just before 4am), I was expecting to hear that it was somewhere nearby, so was completely stunned when they said Keele and Wilson! It even woke up my friend who lives on Lake Shore Blvd. W and shook her condo's windows, so it was heard much further away than 7km!
August 10, 2008 at 1:28:06 PM
Trish
I am a resident of Mississauga, and OMB is planning to build a gas-powered power plant only 2kms away from my neighbourhood, and walking distance from Trillium! I am watching this mass evacuation take place affecting thousands of my Toronto neighbours, and hope the OMB STRONGLY reconsiders the plant location so close to where our children play.
August 10, 2008 at 1:36:03 PM
Tara
I live Oakwood/Vaughan area and it jolted me from my bed. And when I went outside 90 percent of my neighbours were also awake on the street.
August 10, 2008 at 1:39:36 PM
Anthony
My house started to shake, at around 3:30am and there was a after shock about 10 minutes after.
August 10, 2008 at 1:40:12 PM
Mike
I was right in the middle of the blast working at Downsview Airport. The blast shook our building and broke glass. I feel lucky to be alive.
August 10, 2008 at 1:41:07 PM
Fred
the home depot in the blast zone is still open... within the 1.6km. why are they still open? I have a family member that works there and I want them home.
August 10, 2008 at 1:52:38 PM
Elizabeth
I live at Jane and Sheppared, got home at 3am
at 359 heard a big explosion the dog was going crazy
all of a sudden it looked like fireworks
the flames where so high. It looked like the ravine was on fire kept hearing explosion noises.
August 10, 2008 at 1:54:13 PM
Anthony
I live about 1 kilometre south of the blast and I was awakened by it this morning. It felt like my house lifted a couple of feet off the ground and then suddenly dropped. My wife and mother in law said they felt a similar tremmor but not as severe a day or so earlier, however, there was no explosion. They thought it was a small earthquake but there was nothing reported on the news about it so they just ignored it. Did anybody feel any tremors a day before?
August 10, 2008 at 1:56:05 PM
Lartese
I live at Sherbourne and Wellesley and I felt the concussion of each explosion. My windows were rattling! I thought something was going down for sure.
August 10, 2008 at 1:57:58 PM
Gabi
I can only imagine how huge the explosion must have been. I live at Jarvis and Bloor and the building shook enough to wake me up... for a second I thought it was an earthquake.
August 10, 2008 at 1:58:11 PM
Phil
Hi -
There was not just one explosion, there were dozens of booms beginning around 3:20am which continued about every minute or so. At the end came the large explosion which rattled our house north of Bathurst and Lawrence - but there was not just the one.
August 10, 2008 at 2:07:47 PM
Jen
My boyfriend and I were asleep at our Caledonia and Lawrence condo I was awaken at about 4am i thought it was an earthquake and it shook our building within 5 minutes it shook our building twice i couldnt see anything then all i heard was police and firetrucks, after that for about an hour i heard explosions but thought it was thunder it was really scary and i was blocks away i can just see how bad it was for people that were right there. God bless all of you and I hope everyone is safe and not seriously hurt.
August 10, 2008 at 3:33:16 PM
Dwayne
I live near Caledonia and Davenport, and I heard a loud boom which then set off my two vehicles alarms. I thought it was thunder, but was too tired to look outside. A couple minutes later, another boom and my alarms went off again. Then I finally went back to sleep and heard the rest of the news on cp24.
August 10, 2008 at 4:40:37 PM
Darcie
We just came back home (around York U) at around 3:50am or so; as we were outside we saw a flash of light followed by the ground shaking... most of us thought it was thunder, but I knew it was a bit strange because there were no clouds. We disregarded it eventually, but it did throw off our group for a bit.
August 10, 2008 at 4:49:14 PM
Craig Eveson
I work at Bombardier Aerospace, I drive past Sunshine Propane everyday. This explosion took place in an area that is full of residential homes as close as 50 feet from the facility. It is a miracle that none of the area residents were more seriously harmed. I am also a voulenteer firefighter and am very sad that a fellow brothers life has been taken in the line of duty. My most sincere sympathy and love go out to the family and friends of him.
August 10, 2008 at 4:49:14 PM
Craig
I work at Bombardier Aerospace, I drive past Sunshine Propane everyday. This explosion took place in an area that is full of residential homes as close as 50 feet from the facility. It is a miracle that none of the area residents were more seriously harmed. I am also a voulenteer firefighter and am very sad that a fellow brothers life has been taken in the line of duty. My most sincere sympathy and love go out to the family and friends of him.
August 10, 2008 at 4:51:29 PM
Maria
I'm just off of Wilson Heights/Wilson and I honestly thought we were under attack! My husband thought he was dreaming until he saw me running around the hous in panic, like a maniac!!
On a lighter note, it was funny to see one of our semi-retired neighbours run out in his boxers!!!
August 10, 2008 at 4:55:21 PM
Matt93
This will probably sound crazy but I was driving home in London, ON at the time people are saying the explosions started. I remember seeing in the direction of Toronto that there were orange flashes in the sky. I thought "weird, I've never seen orange lightning" but it could have very well been the explosions in Toronto!
August 10, 2008 at 4:58:31 PM
Sarah
My husband and I were out on our porch when we heard a boom in the distance...and we live in the east end (Beaches, east of Queen & Woodbine)
August 10, 2008 at 5:01:25 PM
Sara
I live on Wilson and Keele this morning at around 3:25 I had just come home from a party and I took my doggy out into the backyard then I went in my house and locked the backdoor...all of a sudden I went upstairs with my blitz and I heard these huge explosions i thought we were getting attacked from war or something, my windows all broke and I was so scared a ran into my little brother's room. My whole family woke up and my little brothers were sleeping next to the windows and they got glass all over them...I want to know what do we do now? We left as soon as we heard the explosions. We're at some stranger's house cos they offered help when we were on the streets. what should we do? Do we go to the york university shelter??? help!!!
August 10, 2008 at 5:19:11 PM
Hassan Darwish
I live at Rouslan & Marlee. Although that it is far away from the location where the explosion has happened the whole building was shaken.I felt like it was an earthquake.
August 10, 2008 at 5:29:11 PM
Tina
We live south of Wilson before 401. The explosions were so loud and all our neighbours were outside, scared with no news, not knowing what to do, leave or stay. We finally heard at 10 AM via a portable radio that we needed to evacuate as well but no one came to advise the neighbourhood. Very scary.
August 10, 2008 at 6:12:09 PM
Ivory
My thoughts and prayers go out to the family and the firemen who lost there freind,and there loved one trying to fight the fire to protect others from further harm. I'm glad others are doing well that were also hurt in the explosion.
August 10, 2008 at 6:19:20 PM
behzad
I live at Eglinton and Mt.Pleasant and even I heard it!
August 10, 2008 at 6:25:49 PM
Julie
It was a terrible sound woke-up to my husband and me and my dog was crazy moved one size to and other size.We had never imagened that has been happened in that moment and it was impossible to fall sleep again.Only today we knew about the huge explosion and we think that it's a miracle nobody was killed.
Thirty years ago in part of a South America a huge propane explosion close to my city killed thousand peoples.
August 10, 2008 at 6:28:22 PM
Mumu
I work at Warden and Highway 7 over night and I saw the sky light up and I saw the blast from all the way there! I heard atleast 5 explosions. Amazing
August 10, 2008 at 6:36:28 PM
Neil Powell
My thoughts and prayers go out to the family of the fallen firefighter. As well to all the brothers and sisters at Toronto Fire Services for the loss of their collegue. Toronto Firefighters work together for 24 Hours at a time and become just like family...I know as a Whitby Firefighter.
I am sure all Firefighters throughout North America feel for you and support you at this time.
August 10, 2008 at 6:46:49 PM
Van H
A cab driver described this incident as though "a nuclear bomb had exploded"... all I have to say to him is WOW. Shame on him for saying such a stupid thing like that. The city of Nagasaki and Hiroshima experienced a catastrophe of a magnitude 100 billion time bigger than this stupid explosion that people of Toronto shit their pants for.
August 10, 2008 at 7:13:39 PM
anon...
RIP to a true HERO! He/She lost his/her life to protect you!
GOD SPEED!
August 10, 2008 at 7:16:48 PM
F.
I live in Richmond Hill (Yonge & Hwy 7) and was awaken by my 14 months old. All of a sudden, I felt the building shaking and the blinds started moving. I looked outside, nothing. I could not understand what just happened. We learned the news from my mother in-law from Montreal this morning at 9am. My condolences to the firefighter's family.