Seven individuals were hospitalized following a blast at a high-rise construction site in Toronto on Tuesday morning, according to police reports. Firefighters were alerted to a gas explosion in a building being constructed near Esther Shiner Boulevard and Provost Drive around 9:15 a.m., as revealed by Toronto Fire division commander Paul O’Brien during a press briefing. Upon arrival, no fire was discovered, but several individuals were found with burn injuries, O’Brien stated.
The incident occurred in the boiler room on the penthouse level of the building, with the exact number of workers present at the time remaining unclear. All workers inside the building were promptly evacuated, confirmed 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. Due to privacy considerations, Chawla refrained from disclosing the specific injuries suffered by the patients.
Following the occurrence, construction workers congregated outside the building, awaiting further instructions. O’Brien expressed uncertainty regarding when workers would be allowed to re-enter the premises, citing an ongoing investigation as the reason.
Commenting on the incident, Luke Pravica, a construction worker at the site, mentioned hearing about a potential gas leak and explosion that resulted in injuries. He expressed concern over the incident and wished his colleagues a speedy recovery. O’Brien noted that gas explosions similar to this one are rare in Toronto but refrained from specifying the type of gas responsible for the blast.
Centerville Construction Corp. released a statement indicating that the incident is under investigation, pledging to provide additional details as they become available. Peter Udzenija of Centerville conveyed sympathy for the affected construction workers, extending well wishes for their recovery via an email to CBC Toronto.
Ongoing investigations are being conducted, with the Ministry of Labour having been notified of the event, O’Brien confirmed. In response to the incident, a ministry spokesperson disclosed that an inspector has been assigned to probe the explosion, emphasizing that no further information would be disclosed until the investigation concludes.