Explosion in Toronto area

[Onir]

I'm not sure if this has been posted up yet, but I didn't see any post about it and figured it's best to at least get some word out about this. Apparently a propane center in Toronto exploded this morning around 3 or 4 AM. I found out about it through my brother who saw it from this topic (http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=330762) (I hope it's alright to link to other forums, the topic has some pictures as well as a few youtube links). Here is one of the youtube links:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oV5udSWJcZo

I don't know much more about the situation and I'd imagine there are people here who might be able to bring a bit more light to this. Regardless, I have to say this is genuinely scary stuff and I send my thoughts and prayers to everyone in Toronto :(

[Mr.Delicious]

woow, thats really terrible... this one caught it better, I hope everyones alright

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[Ilaekae]

This is the latest I found--AP news release...

The explosion and damage have to be horrendous, but they don't come anywhere near the colossal arrogance of building a facility like this in a residential area...I'm hoping the casualties are minimal on this, because the hought crossed my mind that it could have been a lot worse if it had been just a few hours later, as people were on the street going to work/school...

"Propane explosions in Toronto force evacuation
By ROB GILLIES – 55 minutes ago

TORONTO (AP) — Explosions at a propane facility forced thousands of people to evacuate early Sunday, and witnesses described the sky lighting up in the glow of an enormous fireball before turning black with billowing smoke. One firefighter died, authorities said.

Firefighters were battling blazes at the Sunrise Propane Industrial Gasses facility hours later. A worker at the plant was unaccounted for, Toronto police spokesman Mark Pugash said. Some residents suffered minor injuries.
Toronto fire services division chief David Sheen said a veteran firefighter died at the scene.

"It's hard," Sheen said, his voice cracking. "I'm sure all of our guys are having a rough time with it."

The explosions early Sunday also shut down Canada's busiest highway and a part of the subway system, snarling traffic for thousands of travelers. Mayor David Miller the fire was under control, but the chance of another explosion still exists because it is a propane facility.

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.

Fearing the air had turned toxic, police used bullhorns to order the estimated 12,500 residents within a mile 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 offered them water and a place to rest. The mall was later evacuated.
Toronto fire services division commander Bob O'Hallarn saw at least five heavily damaged homes and said windows were blown out a fair distance from the scene. He also saw large pieces of metal on the street and said it looked like they were from tanker trucks.

He said it could he hours before residents are allowed to return, and that most of them were evacuated to a nearby university.

Miller said authorities are reviewing why the propane facility was allowed to be built near a residential area."

[chriskot]

I woke up late today (around noon) and when I went upstairs my family was sitting around the television watching the news. I'm about a half-hour's drive away from Toronto so I didn't actually hear it, but wow. That was one heck of an explosion. I'm genuinely surprised that there's only one confirmed death (the firefighter). It's the only thing that's been on the news today.

[Jason Rainville]

Some people around there thought it was a nuclear explosion, the fireball was so huge. crazy to actually see the shockwave on that second vid.

[Alex Chow]

I live pretty far from where the explosion happened but I heard about this. All I can say is that this isn't something you hear everyday, though I'm surprised such a dangerous facility was allowed to be built near homes.

[Blahm]

looked like an anti-matter weapon

[Blue]

Was talking with a buddy over steam this morning when he told me about this. Said it wasn't too far from his house, but he was at work when it went off. he said most people didn't even realize until the news started reporting.

He kind of wrote it off as well, but i'd shit myself if i saw that giant mushroom cloud.

[daestwen]

Hey guys. Torontonian reporting in.

Mostly just wanted to assure everyone that everything is fine. Only one confirmed casuality (a senior firefighter) and one person still unaccounted for. For a fire this huge, it's a surprise and a relief.

The city was evacuated for a 1.6 radius around the factory, four subway stations shut down and a long stretch of highway. To be honest, though, most people in the downtown core didn't know about it at all.

I'm just glad that only a very few number of people got hurt!

[Saturns Gate]

Shit, thats tons worse than the explosion in england, Middlesbrough I witnessed a couple years back. The worse thing about that kind of thing for onlookers is that feeling of not knowing what the hell is going on. When that sort of thing went off near where I used to live, I thought it was a friggin tsunami or some kind of meteor crash, could only hear the rumbling constantly.

That explosion was scary as hell...lets hope it isnt a mirror of whats to come.

[Peter Coene]

The city was evacuated for a 1.6 radius around the factory
Um, is that miles or kilometers?

[Boolean]

Wtf, how did I miss this? What part of Toronto was it in?

[daestwen]

Um, is that miles or kilometers?

Sorry, kilometers!

and Boolean, It was up near downsview station - that's why the subway was closed from there to wilson, and then i heard Yorkdale was down too?

They evacuated the hospital, anyway.

According to the newspaper this morning, people are being allowed back in their homes now...

[Onir]

Whew, glad to hear everything is alright. I'm sorry to hear about the firefighter :( but I'm happy everything is going well for the most part. I hate to say it but seeing that brought back thoughts of 9/11, so needless to say I was pretty shaken by it. But yea, as long as things are going in a better direction that's good to hear.

[Chingwa]

WHOOOoooooaaaaaaa..... that's insane. Thanks for posting this... why is it I didn't see anything about this (then or now) on the normal news websites???

[daestwen]

WHOOOoooooaaaaaaa..... that's insane. Thanks for posting this... why is it I didn't see anything about this (then or now) on the normal news websites???

I'm going to assume because the US sites usually don't post Canadian news...?