Seven individuals were hospitalized following a blast at a high-rise construction site in Toronto on Tuesday morning, according to police. The Toronto Fire division commander, Paul O’Brien, mentioned that fire crews were alerted to a gas explosion at a construction site near Esther Shiner Boulevard and Provost Drive around 9:15 a.m. However, upon arrival, no fire was found, but several individuals were discovered with burn injuries.
The incident occurred in the boiler room at the penthouse level of the building, with uncertainty about the number of workers present at the time, as stated by O’Brien. Following the incident, all workers inside the building were evacuated by Toronto police. Paramedics transported seven workers to the hospital, with three sustaining minor injuries and four in critical condition, according to Toronto Paramedic Services Chief Bikram Chawla.
Chawla refrained from disclosing specific details about the injuries due to privacy concerns. Construction workers gathered outside the building as O’Brien mentioned uncertainty about when they could return inside due to an ongoing investigation.
Luke Pravica, a construction worker on-site, mentioned hearing about a potential gas leak and explosion that resulted in burns to several individuals. O’Brien highlighted that gas explosions like this are uncommon in Toronto but did not specify the type of gas involved in the explosion. Centerville Construction Corp. stated that the incident is under investigation, with plans to provide more details in the future, as expressed by Peter Udzenija from Centerville.
An ongoing investigation is being conducted, with the Ministry of Labour notified of the incident, as confirmed by O’Brien. The Ministry of Labour spokesperson noted that an inspector has been assigned to investigate the explosion and refrained from providing further details until the investigation concludes.