Toronto is on fire!

Somebody get JR to the white courtesy phone, please ... you know it's serious when they shut down the 401.


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

An massive explosion tore through a propane depot in north Toronto early Sunday, closing major highways and forcing thousands to flee their homes.

"My whole house shook. The front door came off. Next thing you know I've got glass in my head and I'm running down the road," said one woman who lives nearby.

Several people suffered minor injuries when a series of explosions ripped through Sunrise Propane Industrial Gases on Murray Road just before 4 a.m. ET, Toronto Fire services division commander Bob O'Hallarn told reporters.

One person thought to be in the general area is unaccounted for, O'Hallarn said, offering no further details.

Toronto police ordered the evacuation of the neighbourhoods within 1.6 kilometres of Sunrise Propane, north of Highway 401. Thousands of people living between Keele Street, Dufferin Street, Sheppard Street and Wilson Avenue have been ordered to leave their homes and are not expected to be allowed to return for several hours.

Highway 401 was closed for a 16-kilometre stretch between the Don Valley Parkway and Highway 400. Sgt. Cam Woolley of the Ontario Provincial Police said traffic in the area is snarled and several accidents have already occurred.

"I guess we're kind of lucky this is a Sunday and not a weekday, but traffic is very ,very busy," he told CBC News, suggesting that motorists wishing to travel through the area take the more northern Highway 407.

A no-fly zone was ordered over the area, as emergency workers feared that propane tankers parked on the site might spark further explosions, although those fears were diminishing. Natural gas and hydro were shut off to the area.An massive explosion tore through a propane depot in north Toronto early Sunday, closing major highways and forcing thousands to flee their homes.

"My whole house shook. The front door came off. Next thing you know I've got glass in my head and I'm running down the road," said one woman who lives nearby.

Several people suffered minor injuries when a series of explosions ripped through Sunrise Propane Industrial Gases on Murray Road just before 4 a.m. ET, Toronto Fire services division commander Bob O'Hallarn told reporters.

One person thought to be in the general area is unaccounted for, O'Hallarn said, offering no further details.

Toronto police ordered the evacuation of the neighbourhoods within 1.6 kilometres of Sunrise Propane, north of Highway 401. Thousands of people living between Keele Street, Dufferin Street, Sheppard Street and Wilson Avenue have been ordered to leave their homes and are not expected to be allowed to return for several hours.

Highway 401 was closed for a 16-kilometre stretch between the Don Valley Parkway and Highway 400. Sgt. Cam Woolley of the Ontario Provincial Police said traffic in the area is snarled and several accidents have already occurred.

"I guess we're kind of lucky this is a Sunday and not a weekday, but traffic is very ,very busy," he told CBC News, suggesting that motorists wishing to travel through the area take the more northern Highway 407.

A no-fly zone was ordered over the area, as emergency workers feared that propane tankers parked on the site might spark further explosions, although those fears were diminishing. Natural gas and hydro were shut off to the area.

 

A Toronto staff sergeant just said on CBC 'this is a good reason not to listen to satellite radio.'

Folks who were listening to satellite were caught by surprise and have found themselves sitting in the express lanes of the 401 for several hours.

<snicker>

 

It's all over the news.

Happened in the north west corner of the city (I live in the southwest corner).

The 401 has been shut down from Hwy 400 to the Don Valley Parkway....that's about half the highway crossing the top of the city.

Here's some live video of the explosions. Scary shit.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20080810.wexplosionraw0810/VideoStory/Front/home?pid=RTGAM.20080810.wexplosions0810

About 12,000 people have been evacuated

Those poor bastards on the 401 are gonna be sitting there forever.

Here's what 9 lanes of empty highway look like

 

You know...that's like a concern I have when there's a high threat of severe weather when I'm working. My wife's on the computer a lot when I'm at work, but usually is playing a game, and when she has the TV on, it's usually on a DVD or TiVo. And she'll sometimes forget to turn her phone back on. Breaking news is great, but doesn't matter if you can't get it to people.

Man, that story's scary.

 

Some more coverage:

 

We have to go east for a family function this afternoon. 407 here we come.

 

Just getting caught up with this on CP24. Quite freaky seeing the 401 empty. Can't imagine the problems if this happened on a weekday.

 

You and 10,000 other people. Good excuse to cancel

 

Yeah, I laughed at the Hank Hill face ...

 

Was JJ Abrams sighted anywhere nearby?

 

Frightening thought.

 

Westbound would be backed up to Kingston.