The massive cleanup of properties affected by the Sunrise Propane blast continues this week, but a city official says it will still be a few days until they know how long the whole project will take and how much it will cost.
Acting deputy mayor Shelley Carroll says the cleanup should speed up if the weather remains dry, and about a third of the homes have been cleaned.
Carroll says 128 properties have been cleared so far, including a park and a community centre located in the cleanup radius.
Air testing has also been done in 12 homes. Crews sealed the structure, then used a leaf blower to disturb as many particles as possible. Carroll says asbestos levels in the homes has been at or below acceptable levels.
Homes in the Keele Street and Wilson Avenue area had been cordoned off for the past eight days while asbestos was cleaned up around the site, on Murray Road in Downsview.
Inspectors have been on site and say while there is severe damage to some homes, all but one are structurally sound.
Hundreds have been joining several class action lawsuits launched against Sunrise Propane, the city and the province. Some residents say the value of their homes has plunged to 20 percent lower than before the blast.
About 12,000 people were displaced when the facility exploded in the early hours of Sunday, Aug. 10. Firefighter Bob Leek was killed near the blast site and an unidentified man's body has been recovered as well.
For more information, call police at (416) 808-7100.
