Originally posted by: Orsorum
I don't know what's happening, but that first photo is beautiful. Looks like a phoenix rising.![]()
Toronto rocked by several explosions, police expect many injuries
Tobin Dalrymple
Canwest News Service
Sunday, August 10, 2008
TORONTO -- Emergency crews and police are evacuating a suburban neighbourhood in Toronto after a series of massive blasts rocked through the city Sunday morning.
At around 4 a.m., several large explosions erupted from what is said to be a propane depot in the city's northwest end, setting off giant fireballs and loud explosions.
A combined effort between fire fighters, Toronto and provincial police, and special emergency response crews have set up a one-kilometre perimeter around the source of the blast and are in the process of evacuating homes.
No injuries or fatalities have yet been confirmed, but police expect there will be many. Toronto EMS duty officer David Viljak said officials have received reports of "casualties" but can't confirm them because the victims are "inside the hot zone" and behind the barricade.
A police officer said he had heard reports of two injuries from the scene, but none had been officially confirmed as of 7:30 a.m.
"I'm sure there's gonna be a lot (of injuries)," said the Toronto police officer, who would not give his name. "It was a big bang."
Less than three hours after the blasts, a Holiday Inn Hotel in the immediate area was busy taking in dozens of people who had been evacuated from their homes or businesses. Other hotels nearby said they would also be opening their doors to people throughout the day.
Huge billows of dark smoke could be seen from the area of the blast. Several images of the explosions, and videos of the fireballs going off were posted online soon after they occurred.
"It's a pretty large fire, looks like a seven-alarm fire, and it's still burning," the police officer said.
"We are two miles away here, and we could feel it (the initial explosions)," said Viljak.
Several police officers, fire crews and emergency crews are on site, investigating the blast and trying to keep people out of the danger zone. Police have set up a command post to co-ordinate the emergency response.
Some witnesses described the blasts as feeling like an earthquake and causing buildings to shake. Reports from media say that up to 40-60 blasts were heard.
Traffic in the area of the blasts, near the Keel St. and Wilson Ave. intersection, has been shut down and power to the area has been cut.
Toronto police have been stationed on every corner in the area, but in some cases were unable to tell confused residents what was happening or even if they should evacuate.
People on the scene report that there was one large explosion, followed by several smaller blasts. Area residents said that windows closer to the epicentre of the blaze had their windows shattered by the initial blast.
TTC shuttle buses are removing residents from the area, though locals don't know if a general evacuation order has been given. Residents also report the neighbourhood is the site of several seniors residences.
Local radio reports from 680 News said it has been flooded with hundreds of calls from listeners who had heard the series of explosions.
There was "a huge ball of fire with huge bangs or booms" one reader told 680 news, also describing "pieces of debris being shot into the air."
With files from the National Post
Originally posted by: z0mb13
holy crap that's huge!
hope its not a terrorist attack![]()
Originally posted by: bamacre
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oV5udSWJcZo
Wow. I can only hope the casualties are minimal.![]()
Originally posted by: Perry404
HUGE explosion in Toronto
EDIT: I guess a gas station/oil plant exploded.
EDMONTON - The Canadian military is sending a long-range Aurora aircraft to investigate reports of a mysterious explosion along Canada's Northwest Passage that may have killed several whales.
The drama apparently began in the early-morning hours of July 31, when an Inuit hunting party at an outpost camp at Borden Peninsula on northeastern Baffin Island was alerted to the sound of an explosion, followed by a cloud of black smoke.
An Inuit member of the Canadian Rangers, a military reservist unit stationed in the far North, reported the incident, and said a hunter at the camp saw several dead whales on shore when he went over to investigate.
In a preliminary investigation, DND's Joint Task Force Northern headquarters determined there were no known vessels operating in the area, and it did not know of any activity that could have caused an explosion.
"At this point, we really have very little else to report," says Summer Halliday, a spokeswoman for the Joint Task Force in Yellowknife.
Originally posted by: Socio
Maybe this was a terrorist test run for the Toronto explosions;
Military probes mysterious explosion along Canada's Northwest Passage
EDMONTON - The Canadian military is sending a long-range Aurora aircraft to investigate reports of a mysterious explosion along Canada's Northwest Passage that may have killed several whales.
The drama apparently began in the early-morning hours of July 31, when an Inuit hunting party at an outpost camp at Borden Peninsula on northeastern Baffin Island was alerted to the sound of an explosion, followed by a cloud of black smoke.
An Inuit member of the Canadian Rangers, a military reservist unit stationed in the far North, reported the incident, and said a hunter at the camp saw several dead whales on shore when he went over to investigate.
In a preliminary investigation, DND's Joint Task Force Northern headquarters determined there were no known vessels operating in the area, and it did not know of any activity that could have caused an explosion.
"At this point, we really have very little else to report," says Summer Halliday, a spokeswoman for the Joint Task Force in Yellowknife.
Originally posted by: sandorski
Originally posted by: Socio
Maybe this was a terrorist test run for the Toronto explosions;
Military probes mysterious explosion along Canada's Northwest Passage
EDMONTON - The Canadian military is sending a long-range Aurora aircraft to investigate reports of a mysterious explosion along Canada's Northwest Passage that may have killed several whales.
The drama apparently began in the early-morning hours of July 31, when an Inuit hunting party at an outpost camp at Borden Peninsula on northeastern Baffin Island was alerted to the sound of an explosion, followed by a cloud of black smoke.
An Inuit member of the Canadian Rangers, a military reservist unit stationed in the far North, reported the incident, and said a hunter at the camp saw several dead whales on shore when he went over to investigate.
In a preliminary investigation, DND's Joint Task Force Northern headquarters determined there were no known vessels operating in the area, and it did not know of any activity that could have caused an explosion.
"At this point, we really have very little else to report," says Summer Halliday, a spokeswoman for the Joint Task Force in Yellowknife.
Maybe you're just paranoid?
The NorthWest Passage is a hell of a long way from Toronto. There's a reason why Whales and Inuit are the only witnesses to that incident.
Originally posted by: Socio
Originally posted by: sandorski
Originally posted by: Socio
Maybe this was a terrorist test run for the Toronto explosions;
Military probes mysterious explosion along Canada's Northwest Passage
EDMONTON - The Canadian military is sending a long-range Aurora aircraft to investigate reports of a mysterious explosion along Canada's Northwest Passage that may have killed several whales.
The drama apparently began in the early-morning hours of July 31, when an Inuit hunting party at an outpost camp at Borden Peninsula on northeastern Baffin Island was alerted to the sound of an explosion, followed by a cloud of black smoke.
An Inuit member of the Canadian Rangers, a military reservist unit stationed in the far North, reported the incident, and said a hunter at the camp saw several dead whales on shore when he went over to investigate.
In a preliminary investigation, DND's Joint Task Force Northern headquarters determined there were no known vessels operating in the area, and it did not know of any activity that could have caused an explosion.
"At this point, we really have very little else to report," says Summer Halliday, a spokeswoman for the Joint Task Force in Yellowknife.
Maybe you're just paranoid?
The NorthWest Passage is a hell of a long way from Toronto. There's a reason why Whales and Inuit are the only witnesses to that incident.
Which would make it the perfect place to do a test run, wouldn't it?
Originally posted by: Socio
Originally posted by: sandorski
Originally posted by: Socio
Maybe this was a terrorist test run for the Toronto explosions;
Military probes mysterious explosion along Canada's Northwest Passage
EDMONTON - The Canadian military is sending a long-range Aurora aircraft to investigate reports of a mysterious explosion along Canada's Northwest Passage that may have killed several whales.
The drama apparently began in the early-morning hours of July 31, when an Inuit hunting party at an outpost camp at Borden Peninsula on northeastern Baffin Island was alerted to the sound of an explosion, followed by a cloud of black smoke.
An Inuit member of the Canadian Rangers, a military reservist unit stationed in the far North, reported the incident, and said a hunter at the camp saw several dead whales on shore when he went over to investigate.
In a preliminary investigation, DND's Joint Task Force Northern headquarters determined there were no known vessels operating in the area, and it did not know of any activity that could have caused an explosion.
"At this point, we really have very little else to report," says Summer Halliday, a spokeswoman for the Joint Task Force in Yellowknife.
Maybe you're just paranoid?
The NorthWest Passage is a hell of a long way from Toronto. There's a reason why Whales and Inuit are the only witnesses to that incident.
Which would make it the perfect place to do a test run, wouldn't it?
Originally posted by: Martin
Seems like an industrial accident:
http://www.theglobeandmail.com.../BNStory/National/home
One dead firefighter and one missing plant worker.
