# Explosions in Toronto



## tree hugger (10 Aug 2008)

From the Star:

http://www.thestar.com/News/GTA/article/475696

Denison Armoury is being used as an area of refuge.


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## tree hugger (10 Aug 2008)

I heard the explosions from Queen-Roncesvailles area...


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## Snafu-Bar (10 Aug 2008)

I just caught some of the coverage on CBC, the amatuer vid clip looks like some of the explosions we're higher that the buildings in the area several floors up.

 Hope it's under control and everyones ok.


 Feel bad for anyone stuck on the roads trying to navigate around T.O.


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## PMedMoe (10 Aug 2008)

Snafu-Bar said:
			
		

> Feel bad for anyone stuck on the roads trying to navigate around T.O.



I feel bad for anyone who was within a couple of blocks (or at the site) of the explosion and those who are displaced from their homes.


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## tree hugger (10 Aug 2008)

Stanley Green Park (one of the PMQ patches) would be in the evacuation area.  Hope they're all ok...

My cell phone is still on emergency use only.


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## faceman (10 Aug 2008)

i live right behind Yorkdale Mall which is just outside the evacuation zone and man was it a crazy night last night.  AT about 4:30 in the morning both my wife and i woke up from literally being shaken in our bed (the little rugrats didn't even get phased from their beds).  The sound was so loud i thought it was lighting right outside the window.  And for about half and hour all you could hear was boom...boom....boom.  Then i figured out it was probably gas tanks of some sort after ruling out other stuff.  In my dreams i thought i was in London during WWII getting bombed.  The smoke bloom ran at least 3-4 miles long and i could see flames from 2 miles away, above Yorkdale Mall.  The highway is closed so don't even bother getting across the north end of Toronto, check cp24.com for more details.  Turns out Superior Propane has some serious propane storage issues.  Somebody needs to go down hard for this.


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## Fishbone Jones (10 Aug 2008)

I expect by Monday or Tuesday, Miller and McGuinty will get the stick out and propane will be *banned in Moronto*


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## MARS (10 Aug 2008)

On my way in Denison to close up with the Battle Staff now....crap - was just getting into the Olympic Basketball game :crybaby:


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## aesop081 (10 Aug 2008)

recceguy said:
			
		

> I expect by Monday or Tuesday, Miller and McGuinty will get the stick out and propane will be *banned in Moronto*



Propane tank registry

Propane Tank Aquisition Certificate

Propane safety course

 ;D


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## eechoss (10 Aug 2008)

Dont bother using the highways lol. They are packed!


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## the 48th regulator (10 Aug 2008)

CDN Aviator said:
			
		

> Propane tank registry
> 
> Propane Tank Aquisition Certificate
> 
> ...



BBQ's will be a thing of the past!

You will only be allowed to eat Vegatables, raw, that can not be cooked.

dileas

tess


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## PMedMoe (10 Aug 2008)

eechoss said:
			
		

> Dont bother using the highways lol. They are packed!



And that's different (around Toronto) how?


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## aesop081 (10 Aug 2008)

Will somebody please think of the children........


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## Bruce Monkhouse (10 Aug 2008)

Exchange program.....turn in your BBQ and get a free handgun.


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## the 48th regulator (10 Aug 2008)

Bruce Monkhouse said:
			
		

> Exchange program.....turn in your BBQ and get a free handgun.



Handguns are bad,

Don't you get up with the times??

We will get green bags, made from hemp, so that we can go down to city hall, which will become a farmers market.  There we can get Fruits and Vegetables grown using no pesticieds, purchased from California....

dileas

tess


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## tech2002 (10 Aug 2008)

this is crazy, I was not too far from area, felt like 500lb bomb being dropped ... crazy...


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## aesop081 (10 Aug 2008)

the 48th regulator said:
			
		

> Handguns are bad,



But we can make hanguns by recycling the metal from the propane tanks.........

Think of the votes you can get from the enviro nuts !!


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## the 48th regulator (10 Aug 2008)

CDN Aviator said:
			
		

> But we can make hanguns by recycling the metal from the propane tanks.........
> 
> Think of the votes you can get from the enviro nuts !!



Or use the recycled tanks to make affordable housing, and use the space of the Propane plant to be the first site for one of these communes.

dileas

tess


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## The Bread Guy (10 Aug 2008)

CDN Aviator said:
			
		

> Propane tank registry
> 
> Propane Tank Aquisition Certificate
> 
> Propane safety course



Let's not forget....

When propane is outlawed, only outlaws will have propane...


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## ENGINEERS WIFE (10 Aug 2008)

Having been about 300-400m from the blast, living in Stanley Green Park.  I and my family are lucky to be alive, so all of you making fun of and joking about the 'propane ban' I find in extremely poor taste. I have never been so terrified in all my life.  My hands are still shaking and we litterally ran out with the clothes on our backs. My husband only in his underwear and no shoes.  I am still in my pj's, so why don't you save your snide remarks and wait to hear that everyone is safe.  
If it was you that was there, you would find NO humour in it. 
Hope you have a better day than I have had.
Thank you all, Robin


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## muskrat89 (10 Aug 2008)

> I and my family are lucky to be alive, so all of you making fun of and joking about the 'propane ban' I find in extremely poor taste. I have never been so terrified in all my life.  My hands are still shaking and we litterally ran out with the clothes on our backs. My husband only in his underwear and no shoes.  I am still in my pj's, so why don't you save your snide remarks and wait to hear that everyone is safe.



This is not a dig, nor a slam, nor a retort; but all that being said, why would you take time to post on Army.ca? I'm not trying to diminish what your family is going through - it really does seem odd. I do hope things get back on track for you and your family ASAP.

On an "official" note, I think people were poking fun at Toronto's policies. I doubt very much that anyone meant to demean or belittle the victims, nor make fun of their plight. There are probably hundreds of threads on this site, if not thousands, where someone poked fun at a situation involving something "not fun" for the people involved.


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## Bruce Monkhouse (10 Aug 2008)

CP24 is now reporting a Firefighter is VSA.........damn.


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## aesop081 (10 Aug 2008)

ENGINEERS WIFE said:
			
		

> Having been about 300-400m from the blast, living in Stanley Green Park.  I and my family are lucky to be alive, so all of you making fun of and joking about the 'propane ban' I find in extremely poor taste. I have never been so terrified in all my life.  My hands are still shaking and we litterally ran out with the clothes on our backs. My husband only in his underwear and no shoes.  I am still in my pj's, so why don't you save your snide remarks and wait to hear that everyone is safe.
> If it was you that was there, you would find NO humour in it.
> Hope you have a better day than I have had.
> Thank you all, Robin



I will refrain from making any comments on your post beyond saying that i am glad that you and your family are ok.


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## Jack O. (10 Aug 2008)

I was up when the explosion occurred, around quarter to four in the morning, heard the sound. Heads will roll at that company.


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## observor 69 (10 Aug 2008)

Massive fire at Toronto propane depot forces thousands to flee
Toronto firefighter may be casualty, taken from scene without vital signs


http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2008/08/10/propane-fire.html


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## ENGINEERS WIFE (10 Aug 2008)

I have been up since 4 am this morning, cannot sleep. I have lots of time on my hands, that's why I thought I would check out army.ca.  I will admit that I'm more sensitive than usual because of the circumstances.  But, I found some of the posts upsetting.  What can I say?  I can appreciate making light of some of Toronto's strange/stupid policies.  This has hit too close to home for me, and right now I cannot find the humour in it.  Although I'm sure I will in the not too distant future.  
It still seems very surreal going through it and then watching the explosion on TV is hard to wrap my brain around. 
And I thank you for the well wishes and that my family is safe.
Robin


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## Civvymedic (10 Aug 2008)

It was confirmed a few minutes ago that 1 Toronto Fire Fighter was found by colleagues with vital signs absent  at the scene of the Gas Explosion and was pronunced at hospital.

The cause of death is not yet known and names have not been released pending notification of family.

Source: Television News Conference via TFD spokesperson.


My thoughts go out to his/her family, friends, and colleagues.


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## blacktriangle (10 Aug 2008)

Heard that as well. RIP


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## Civvymedic (10 Aug 2008)

Updates at

www.pulse24.com


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## leroi (10 Aug 2008)

God Bless, Engineers Wife.

I also worry because I have a cousin who is a Frefighter in Toronto--in North York--last time I checked.

Glad to hear you and your family are okay.


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## Bruce Monkhouse (10 Aug 2008)

I read that they won't open the 401 until the evacuation order is lifted. Hopefully someone has the stones to make the call to shut TO down tomorrow....


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## Civvymedic (10 Aug 2008)

Good call Bruce, Well see.

I know a lot of people are staying up at the cottage or making other plans. Obviously we need to keep the TSX and other things open but it would be nice to see some places like Retail stores and non-essentials shut. TPS closed Yorkdale Mall earlier today for just this reason I heard.


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## jeffb (10 Aug 2008)

Bruce Monkhouse said:
			
		

> I read that they won't open the 401 until the evacuation order is lifted. Hopefully someone has the stones to make the call to shut TO down tomorrow....



The 401 is open now in both directions. I just drove home along it from the 400 to the DVP. There are still some off-ramps closed, including the Allen, but it looks like things are getting back to normal here in the big smoke. (Insofar as things are normal here in Toronto.) 

Sympathies to the family of the firefighter who fell today...


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## retiredgrunt45 (11 Aug 2008)

My question is. Why would they allow a facility like this to be built so close to a residential area? "DUH"! From what I gather the facility is huge. I think some heads are going to roll over this one. It looks just like downtown Bagdad when the americans started their "shock and awe" bombing campaign in 2003.

http://www.photojunkie.ca/archive/2008/08/north-york-explosion-wakes-up-half-the-city/.

Heres a link to the CBC news site and the story on the firefighter that lost his life, "RIP".

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2008/08/10/propane-fire.html


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## muskrat89 (11 Aug 2008)

> Why would they allow a facility like this to be built so close to a residential area?



I don't know about Toronto, but in my city the industrial facilities used to be way out in the boondocks - and the residential areas expanded out _to them_.


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## a_majoor (11 Aug 2008)

How the plant was there:

http://www.torontosun.com/News/TorontoAndGTA/2008/08/11/pf-6410276.html



> *Plant OK'd under old law*
> History of approvals for site predates megacity: Miller
> 
> By LOUIS TAM, SUN MEDIA
> ...





No one at city hall knows: "how the site was approved ... we don't know if they were over the capacity they were zoned for"


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## armyca08 (11 Aug 2008)

What is the thing that flies off the the left of the screen in the film? Debris? It looks like a white light.


I take that back.. the first time I watched the video I thought I saw a small light speck take an upward almost horizontal movement from the plume, but havn't seen it on subsequent times watching. I guess it was just my imagination.


Ah it is at about 3 seconds... really high up in the plume.

The plume deforms - is that digital distortion or something actually flying out of the plume?


Really fast and horozontal not an arc would be - not \


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## Snafu-Bar (11 Aug 2008)

There was a projectile that flew out of the area and from the looks of the light trail atleast a kilometre away before it leaves the screen. There we're several explosions showing tons of debris above the building that can be seen in the several of the you tube clips.

 Youtube has several clips that not only show the visual scene but capture the sounds and violence of the explosions.

this clip is the one of the best of the big blast, although i caution anyone clicking on it for harsh language.

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


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## mariomike (9 Aug 2009)

The paper reminded me today that this is the first anniversary of the Sunrise Propane explosion.
Regarding TFS District Chief who died at the scene.
I wasn't at the scene, but I knew Bob Leek and wonder if some other readers also did. He wore his jump wings with pride. He told me he had served in 3RCR. He enjoyed talking about his time in the CF. It was good to have known him, because he was a "good guy". RIP.


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## the 48th regulator (9 Aug 2009)

mariomike said:
			
		

> The paper reminded me today that this is the first anniversary of the Sunrise Propane explosion.
> Regarding TFS District Chief who died at the scene.
> I wasn't at the scene, but I knew Bob Leek and wonder if some other readers also did. He wore his jump wings with pride. He told me he had served in 3RCR. He enjoyed talking about his time in the CF. It was good to have known him, because he was a "good guy". RIP.


Bob was also a Sgt. in the 48th Highlanders.  I did not know him, but a group of the senior members attended his funeral.

dileas

tess


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## mariomike (9 Aug 2009)

the 48th regulator said:
			
		

> Bob was also a Sgt. in the 48th Highlanders.



That's right! I forgot about that. There was a pic of him in 48th full kit at the wake.


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## ENGINEERS WIFE (9 Aug 2009)

Thank goodness to all the fireman and first responders that kept it from being worse than it was.

Just thinking of Bob Leek today and the security worker and their families that lost their lives in the explosion.

It is hard to believe that it was a year ago tonight.  And being so close, it seems like it was yesterday and that it was a lifetime ago.  300m was way too close!

Here is a picture of me as I proudly held my Canadian flag outside Bob Leeks funeral that I had taken down to the Highway of Heroes too many times.


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