One firefighter died and another man is missing following a massive series of explosions that rocked a northern Toronto propane depot early on Sunday morning, sending up flames that could be seen as far as 30km away, triggering a six-alarm fire and forcing the evacuation of the surrounding area.
One firefighter, identified as Bob Leek, 55, a district chief of emergency planning, died at the scene of the fire.
An employee of the depot operator, Sunrise Propane Industrial Gases, was listed as missing.
Ontario Minister of Community Safety Rick Bartolucci said the fire continued to burn on Sunday evening but was under control.
RETURN HOME
Thousands of north Toronto residents were told they would gradually be allowed to return to their homes late on Sunday night, escorted by local police.
The cause of the explosions is under investigation.
Toronto Mayor David Miller said the chance of another explosion still existed because it is a propane facility.
He also said authorities were reviewing why the propane facility was allowed to be built near a residential area
The explosions also shut down Canada’s busiest highway and a part of the subway system, snarling traffic for thousands of travelers. Many area homes were badly damaged, and many others had doors blown off their hinges.
Some residents said the blast was so forceful they felt their homes rock as though they had been struck by an earthquake.
“It was just a tremendous explosion and blew all the windows out of the house, just blew the house up, and I just managed to get out of there in time,” said Robert Helman, who was covered in cuts and bruises as he fled his home.
NOT TOXIC
Fearing the air had turned toxic, police used bullhorns to order the estimated 12,500 residents within 1.6km radius of the plant to flee their homes immediately. Air quality tests later in the day showed the fumes were not toxic.
About a dozen terrified residents — some clad in pajamas and housecoats — found their way on foot to nearby Yorkdale shopping mall, where security personnel offered them water and a place to rest.
Many angry residents were demanding to know why such a facility was ever allowed in the residential neighborhood.
Josei Miceli, 59, who has lived there for 40 years says the area is full of elderly people who aren’t mobile.
“We were concerned when this company moved at the end of the street,” Miceli said. “But we weren’t even advised that they were going to be there. They just moved in and we’ve been concerned since they were there that something like this would happen.”
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