Massive Propane Plant Explosion in Toronto

The Judge · #1 08-10-2008, 02:27 PM

Residents 'Very Lucky' After Massive Explosion At Propane Facility Sparks Huge Evacuation

Sunday August 10, 2008
CityNews.ca Staff

A huge swath of northwest Toronto has been evacuated following a six-alarm fire early Sunday morning.
The blaze was triggered by a massive explosion at a propane facility that sent huge plumes of smoke into the air and scattered debris for kilometres.

The building, belonging to Sunrise Propane Industrial Gases, blew just before 4am on Murray Road near Keele and Wilson. It's a supplier of nitrogen, propane and helium.

There were workers inside the building at the time. It's not known if they made it out, or even how many were there.

Miraculously, no fatalities have been reported, and authorities want to keep it that way. However, at noon, one person was still unaccounted for.

Anyone in the area bounded by Sheppard Ave. in the north, Highway 401 in the south, Allen Rd. in the east and Jane St. in the west should leave immediately. Census data suggests that there could be as many as 12,500 people and 5,300 private dwellings in the 1.6-kilometre area around the explosion. Anecdotal reports show that many of those people are elderly.

If you have friends or relatives there, stay away and try to contact them by phone. If that fails, head to the Track and Field Centre at York University - that's where TTC buses are taking anxious evacuees.

The Red Cross and the Salvation Army are on scene to tend to any wounds, provide a hot meal and register all the evacuees.

The Toronto Humane Society is also on hand to look after pets.

The evacuation was a precautionary measure, as an air quality check revealed the air was safe to breathe. However, officials were worried about further explosions.

By 9am, five hours after the initial blast, two tankers were still smoldering. One of the tankers was thought to have two feet of propane gas inside it.

However, by 11:30am, officials were much more optimistic.

Firefighters are close to extinguishing all the burning tanks, significantly reducing the risk of another explosion, Division Commander Bob O'Hallarn revealed at a press conference.

He said given the impact of the blast, the city's residents 'got off very lucky.'

It's not known when residents will be allowed back in. At a press conference, Neil Corrigan of Toronto Police advised evacuees to take medication, pets and anything else they may need to get through the day with them as they leave.

The blast lit up the pre-dawn sky, sending huge orange fireballs into the air and leaving mushroom-shaped clouds behind. Residents reported tankers launched into the air, while others thought it was an earthquake or a nuclear attack.

Shattered windows and fire-damaged homes greeted emergency crews.

The OPP, paramedics, firefighters and Toronto Police have rushed to the area to battle the flames and tend to the people there.

There are only minor injuries, such as sprained ankles, breathing problems, and cuts and bruises.
Acting Deputy Mayor Shelley Carroll advised those with loved ones affected by the blast not to go to the area.

"What's important for folks from the evacuated area is to cooperate with Fire services and Police services," Carroll said. "We have been coordinating City services all morning to make sure that people can be evacuated comfortably and people need to adhere to that. People whose friends and family are in this area, I think most people are smart enough to know, don't come to the family. Your friends and family will be in contact with you once they get to the shelter area."

Area residents weren't the only ones affected by the blast: traffic was snarled across the city for much of Sunday.

The 401 was closed from the 404/Don Valley Parkway to Highway 400 and cars could not get on or off the major thoroughfare.

TTC subway stops in the area were closed, and bus routes were diverted.

A no-fly zone was ordered over the area in northwest Toronto at Keele and Wilson.