3,000 Still Waiting To Go Home Following Massive Propane Explosion

More than 24 hours after a massive propane explosion rocked northwest Toronto, about 3,000 people are still waiting to return to their homes.

The blast and subsequent six-alarm blaze at Sunrise Propane Industrial Gases prompted a major evacuation covering a 1.6 kilometre radius in the Keele and Wilson area. About 12,500 area residents were forced to leave, three subway stations were shut for hours, and a stretch of Highway 401 was closed to traffic for most of the day for safety reasons.

About a quarter of the residences near the blast site were still inaccessible Monday morning after the Office of the Fire Marshal found asbestos.

Five streets within a one-block radius are still cordoned off for safety reasons, meaning several thousand people are still unable to get back into the area.

Crews are still investigating what caused the blast, which sent orange fireballs and huge plumes of smoke into the air. Incredibly, there was only one fatality. District Chief Bob Leek, a 55-year-old veteran with Toronto Fire, collapsed on the street near the scene and could not be resuscitated.

"It wasn't impacted by anything, it was just in the course of him performing some operations that he went down," said David Sheen, Toronto Fire Services division chief.

"I don't know of any pre-existing medical conditions that could have contributed to this tragic accident."

As for the evacuation there was still a lot of confusion surrounding when people could return to their homes. As of 1am Monday most had been allowed back but about 3,000 were still waiting for word. They were being kept away because asbestos had been found in some residential parts near the propane company.

"The building on the site, the walls are - just speculation, but (asbestos) has been confirmed to be found in the blast debris area which, now, when the expert looked at it today, they identified that they think, and even still they can't say for sure that it doesn't go far," explained Toronto Police Staff Supt. Jeff McGuire. "That's why we want to get the information out to the public."

If you see any debris from the fire in your yard, you're asked to call Toronto Police at 416-808-2222.

Meanwhile, extra police officers have been patrolling the evacuated neighbourhood on account of reports of looting.

There's still no indication what caused the explosion, which happened just before 4am Sunday. The resulting fire raged for most of the morning, and it was noon before firefighters started to gain a foothold. By evening officials said the situation was "under control" and it seemed the threat of further propane explosions had diminished.

Shaken residents affected by the evacuation were taken to York University, where many got in touch with worried loved ones. And though most were allowed back later that night, parts of 11 streets in the area remained closed as of Monday morning as a precaution. Some residences closest to the propane company were badly damaged and some people had to return to the evacuation centre.

"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 Halman, who sustained cuts and bruises.

Ricardo Oliveira, 24, recalled the frightening sight.

"My windows just cracked and they blew out," Oliveira said.

"My whole room lights up orange and I look out. I live on the top floor so I had a perfect view. And I just seen a huge ball of flame hundreds of metres in the sky, big black pillars of smoke."

"We got freaked out. My family woke up. They thought it was a plane that went down," he said.

More than 200 firefighters and 40 emergency vehicles were involved in fighting the flames, while several hundred police officers descended on the scene to help secure it and close off roads.

Residents appeared frustrated by apparent delays in lifting the evacuation order, and conflicting reports between what the City of Toronto was saying and what police were saying.

"I saw the explosion in the morning, nobody was there to protect me and now we're not getting protected," said Joe Desa. "It's messed up here and I gotta work in the morning."

At the height of the blast, a 16-kilometre stretch of Highway 401 was closed off, something OPP veteran Sgt. Cam Woolley said he's never seen before.

Sunrise Propane issued a statement offering condolences to the fallen firefighter's family. One employee was still unaccounted for and company officials said they hoped that person would still be found alive.

According to officials 18 people suffered minor injuries.

The company's website says it serves residential, industrial and agriculture clients. It supplies industrial gases including nitrogen, propane, helium and argon. It also provides safety training for propane.

Propane is stored and transported in a compressed liquid form, vapourizing when pressure is released.

Source: CityNews: 3,000 Still Waiting To Go Home Following Massive Propane Explosion

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