2008 Toronto explosion

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The explosion as seen from Toronto (Midtown)

The 2008 Toronto gas explosion (also known as Sunrise propane incident ) was a series of explosions followed by fire that occurred on the morning of August 10, 2008 in Downsview, North York , Toronto , Ontario , Canada. The explosions occurred at 3:45 a.m. local time on the Sunrise Propane Industrial Gases site . Thousands of people were evacuated from their homes as a result of the explosions. Evacuation and cleaning costs C $ 1.8 million, half of which was paid for by the Province of Ontario.

history

Sunrise Propane Industrial Gases was a company that sold propane, along with other gases such as helium and acetylene, for commercial and personal use, and had operated under multiple names since at least 1999. In 2002, a company called Sunrise Petroleum was successfully sued by First Choice Petroleum Inc. , an oil and lubricant company , who claimed the company owed it C $ 54,063.73 in products and forged a document to avoid billing. In this case, it was found that Sunrise had forged the signature of an employee named Thomas Tims on a 1999 document that Sunrise Petroleum was acquired by a new company called Sunrise Petroleum Lubricants and that Sunrise Petroleum was not responsible for any outstanding or unpaid invoices would be. However, Tims would not have signed the document because he was listed as "Tim Toms" instead of Tom Tims. As a result of the case, Sunrise had to pay the owed account plus interest of C $ 93,389.54 and an additional C $ 34,284.71 legal fees. Court documents also showed a third name, Sunrise Propane & Petroleum , that the company had previously used.

A company listing from Ontario states that the facility was incorporated in 2004, although an attorney and spokesman for the company is unsure how long the facility was operational. the facility was built in a residential area in the North York borough of Toronto. Toronto Mayor David Miller said the neighborhood facility could be built in zones that have existed for over a decade.

The facility's operators had previously been warned by Ontario's Technical Standards and Safety Authority about safety deficiencies due to the transfer of gases from truck to truck in the company's facilities. During the post-explosion investigation, investigators discovered that truck-to-truck transfers were common at the facility. Truck to truck transfers are prohibited in Ontario as they increase the risk of a gas leak or fire.

course

At around 3:50 a.m., a large explosion occurred at Sunrise Propane Industrial Gases, near Murray Road and Spalding Road. A series of explosions followed, sending large fireballs and clouds of smoke into the sky. Large pieces of metal from the exploding propane tanks were thrown onto the surrounding streets and properties. Many homes and offices were damaged, windows smashed and doors torn from their hinges. About 200 firefighters fought the major fire that resulted from the explosions.

The threat of further explosions and concerns about air quality forced the police to conduct an evacuation of a large area in the surrounding community. Residents who lived within a mile (1.6 km) should leave their homes early in the morning. Toronto Transit Commission buses have been used to evacuate you to Downsview Park and then take you to York University .

The explosions rocked the area and also caused part of Highway 401 , between Ontario Highways 404 and 400 , to be closed for over 12 hours. Rescue workers feared another large explosion when two tank cars continued to burn five hours after the first explosions. Regular commercial air traffic at Toronto Pearson International Airport was allowed to continue, while smaller, privately owned aircraft were not allowed to fly over the area.

Six people were taken to hospital, 18 people were admitted to an emergency room, and 40 people were treated on site as outpatients. During the rescue operation at the scene of the accident, a firefighter was found lifeless by rescue workers. Paramedics and firefighters tried to resuscitate him but were unsuccessful. He was then taken to a hospital where he was pronounced dead. The firefighter was identified as Bob Leek , a 55-year-old district emergency planning chief and a 25-year veteran. Leek, who was off duty that night, was asked to bring some equipment to aid his colleagues' activities, which he was happy to do. He died of a heart attack. Sunrise employee Parminder Saini was missing. A body was found on site on August 11th . On September 3, Saini's death was confirmed.

Cause and investigations

The Ontario Fire Marshal Office investigated the explosions. While the cause of the explosions was still unclear, the Technical Standards and Safety Authority (TSSA) issued a statement stating that shortly before the first explosion, a truck driver illegally transferred propane from one truck to another. She also reported on the safety deficiencies caused by the continued reloading of gases from truck to truck. This was a common and routine operating practice at Sunrise Propane facilities. An investigator with the Ontario Fire Marshal Office said it could be months before the cause of the explosions could be determined. Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty also said the province is ready to provide financial aid to residents whose homes have been damaged by the explosions.

On August 4, 2010, the Toronto Star reported that the massive 2008 explosion was caused by an illegal truck-to-truck gas transfer combined with a leak in a hose. The report says that liquid propane was released from a hose after a loading operation was completed. The Star also reported that Sunrise did not have the license for the implementation of these types of shipments and those of the Technical Standards and Safety Authority (TSSA) were banned in November of 2006.

Canada's Department of the Environment argued that Sunrise failed to "show that a proper preventive maintenance system was in place." Leo Adler, a Sunrise attorney, argued that the accident was an unpredictable accident as Sunrise kept its equipment in order and could not be held responsible for any hose failure.

consequences

Highway 401 was closed because of its proximity to the explosion site. It was closed from Highway 404 to Highway 400 and the local Yorkdale Shopping Center was closed for part of the day. Toronto Transit Commission routes and the York Region Transit Viva Orange routes have been subject to closings as part of the evacuation zone.

The underground line 1 ( Yonge University Line ) between Sheppard West station (formerly Downsview ) and Lawrence West was also closed for part of the day. The transport company GO Transit's connections to the Yorkdale Bus Terminal have also been discontinued.

Around 15 hours after the first explosions, some residents were given the green light to return to their homes. However, many people who wanted to return to their homes were stopped at police stops and had to turn back or were not allowed to take their vehicles into the immediate area. Around 100 of the 12,000 evacuated houses remained uninhabitable. On August 11, almost all residents who had to be evacuated were able to return; about 35 families had to wait while tests were conducted by health officials over concerns about asbestos .

As a result of the explosion, Toronto officials planned to review all industrial areas that could pose a potential threat to residential areas in order to prevent similar situations. As part of their investigation, TSSA officials and the Ontario Fire Marshal reviewed previous inspections of the facility to determine the cause of the explosions.

The explosion caused damage to one of Toronto's oldest Jewish cemeteries , Mount Sinai Memorial Park . The cemetery is over 100 years old and has more than 11,000 graves, at least 20 of which have been damaged.

Several residents were upset because the city council approved the construction of a propane gas plant in a residential area. Some local residents claimed that the community was not consulted or informed about the facility when it was being built. However, Shelley Carroll, Toronto's deputy mayor, pointed out that the property was zoned before many homes were built.

The TSSA, which governs fuel safety in Ontario, originally said it has only inspected Sunrise once since the facility opened in 2005. She later denied this by stating that she had ordered construction freezes in 2006 and 2007 due to security breaches.

On August 19, nine days after the explosions, Sunrise released a brief press release saying the company regretted the loss of life and was working with investigating authorities. The press release also stated that it would stop issuing public statements in the near future to prevent speculation and misinformation. On August 21, 2008, the TSSA announced that Sunrise Propane should have its approval revoked immediately.

Six other propane plants in the province were closed because of the explosions. In the years that followed, facilities in Kitchener , Waterloo , Cornwall , Ottawa and two in Toronto were ordered to close after failing to demonstrate that their staff had been properly trained at the facilities.

Parminder Saini's father was granted a visa to travel to Canada from Punjab to help with the investigation, but his brother and mother were initially refused by the Canadian consulate. That decision was later changed after the Department of Citizenship and Immigration was informed of the situation.

Felipe De Leon, a Sunrise employee, said he had completed an illegal propane transfer when he noticed smoke on the north end of the facility. De Leon said he then went to the office to warn Saini and ask him to leave the building, but the latter initially refused. De Leon then fled the facility while Saini headed towards the smoking area.

The damage repair cost the City of Toronto C $ 1.8 million, half of which was paid for by the Province of Ontario.

Indictments and judgments

On August 5, 2009, the Ontario Ministry of Labor brought two charges in the incident: one for failure to protect Saini and another for failure to operate within mandatory industry standards. The fines were up to C $ 1 million. Eight lawsuits filed by the Department of the Environment were followed by fines of more than C $ 6 million. In June 2013, Sunrise Propane was found guilty of nine lawsuits. In January 2016, Sunrise Propane and its directors Shay Ben-Moshe and Valery Belahov were fined C $ 5.3 million for the offenses. The Sunrise company no longer existed at the time, and the defense attorney argued that his clients did not have the money to pay millions in fines. In addition, local residents filed a C $ 300 million lawsuit.

Web links

Commons : Toronto propane explosion  - Collection of images, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. ^ A b Freeman, Sunny: Firefighter dies, thousands of flee propane plant blasts , Toronto Star . August 10, 2008. Accessed August 9, 2020.  (Eng.)
  2. ↑ n-tv Panorama: A huge explosion. Fire in propane gas warehouse online: n-tv , August 11, 2008, accessed on August 9, 2020.
  3. ↑ a b c d e f Firefighter dies battling huge fire at propane depot , CBC. August 10, 2008. Accessed August 9, 2020.  (Eng.)
  4. ↑ a b Toronto barbecue marks Sunrise blast 1 year ago , CBC. August 9, 2009. Accessed August 9, 2020.  (Eng.)
  5. ↑ a b Wingrove, Josh: Following massive blaze, Torontonians given all-clear . In: The Globe and Mail , The Canadian Press . August 10, 2008. Archived from the original on August 13, 2008. Retrieved on August 9, 2020.
  6. ↑ a b c d Illegal propane transfer completed before Sunrise blast: driver , CBC . September 3, 2008. Archived from the original on August 22, 2009. Retrieved on August 9, 2020  .
  7. ^ Sunrise Propane Industrial Gases . Archived from the original on August 17, 2009. Retrieved August 9, 2020.
  8. ^ A b c Nicole Baute: Propane firm had many names , TheStar.com. August 12, 2008. Archived from the original on August 17, 2009. Retrieved on August 9, 2020  .
  9. ^ A b Residents say propane facility had no place near houses , CBC. August 10, 2008. Accessed August 9, 2020.  (Eng.)
  10. ↑ Firefighter Found Without Vital Signs Succumbs Following Massive Blast . In: CityNews . Rogers Broadcasting Ltd .. August 10, 2008. Archived from the original on August 13, 2008. Retrieved on August 9, 2020. (Eng.)
  11. ^ Thousands evacuated in Toronto after explosions at propane facility . The Chronicle Herald . August 10, 2008. Accessed August 11, 2008. Template: dead link /! ... nourl ( Page no longer available )
  12. ^ Coroner investigates after body found at blast site . CTV News. August 12, 2008. Accessed August 9, 2020. (Eng.)
  13. ↑ Thousands returning home after massive TO fire . CTV News. August 10, 2008. Accessed August 9, 2020. (Eng.)
  14. ↑ Employee missing from propane plant is student from India , CBC .. August 14, 2008. Accessed August 9, 2020.  (Engl.)
  15. ↑ Determining cause of propane blast could take months , CBC. August 18, 2008. Accessed August 9, 2020.  (Eng.)
  16. ^ Sunrise propane blast due to illegal transfer: Report . August 4, 2010. Retrieved August 9, 2020
  17. ↑ Jasmeet Sidhu: Sunrise blast caused by illegal 'tank-to-tank transfer,' report says . In: The Star , August 3, 2010.  Retrieved August 9, 2020
  18. ^ Megan O'Toole: Sunrise Propane must be penalized for massive Downsview explosion: government lawyer . In: The National Post , June 12, 2012.  Retrieved August 9, 2020
  19. ^ Valerie Hauch: Sunrise Propane trial: Fatal explosion a "tragic accident," defense says in closing arguments . In: The Star , June 11, 2012.  Retrieved August 9, 2020
  20. ↑ "Leo Adler in the Media" (Engl.) Retrieved on August 9, 2020
  21. ↑ List of closures as a result of the explosion . In: CP24.com . CTVglobemedia. August 10, 2008. Accessed August 9, 2020. (Eng.)
  22. ↑ 100 homes uninhabitable after blast: TO police . In: CTV News . CTV News. August 11, 2008. Accessed August 9, 2020. (Eng.)
  23. ↑ a b Almost all Toronto residents back home after propane blast , CBC. August 11, 2008. Accessed August 9, 2020.  (Eng.)
  24. ↑ Toronto to review zoning bylaws after propane explosion, fire , CBC. August 11, 2008. Accessed August 9, 2020.  (Eng.)
  25. ^ Historic Jewish cemetery closed by propane accident , CBC. August 11, 2008. Accessed August 9, 2020.  (Eng.)
  26. ^ Propane plant cited for violations in 2006 and 2007 , CBC. August 14, 2008. Accessed August 9, 2020.  (Eng.)
  27. ^ Propane company urges public not to rush to judgment , CBC. August 19, 2008. Accessed August 9, 2020.  (Eng.)
  28. ↑ To Update On Propane Safety In Ontario . Ministry of Consumer Services, Province of Ontario. Archived from the original on April 2, 2012. Retrieved August 9, 2020
  29. ^ Investigators find possible cause of propane blast . CTV. August 22, 2008. Accessed August 9, 2020. (Eng.)
  30. ^ Family of missing Sunrise Propane employee given visas , CBC. August 27, 2008. Accessed August 9, 2020.  (Eng.)
  31. ↑ Home Police charge Sunrise Propane after last year's deadly explosion www.cp24.com, published August 5, 2009. Retrieved August 9, 2020
  32. ↑ [1] ctvnews.ca, published June 27, 2013. Accessed August 9, 2020
  33. ^ Sunrise Propane, directors fined C $ 5.3M for deadly explosion . CBC News . January 25, 2016. Retrieved August 9, 2020
  34. ↑ Toronto Propane Company Faces Charges For Explosion www.canada.com, August 5, 2009. Accessed 2020-08-09. Archived 2009-08-11. (engl.)

Coordinates: 43 ° 43 ′ 57 "  N , 79 ° 28 ′ 22"  W.