Toronto Propane Explosion - Aftermath

Aftermath

Due to its proximity to the site, Highway 401 was shut down from Highway 404 to Highway 400, and the local Yorkdale Mall was closed for part of the day. Toronto Transit Commission routes and the York Region Transit Viva Orange route were affected as a result of evacuation zone. Bus routes were diverted and a section of the Yonge-University-Spadina subway line between Downsview Station and Lawrence West Station was shut down for part of the day. GO Transit services to Yorkdale Bus Terminal were also suspended.

About 15 hours after the first explosions, some residents were given the go-ahead to return to their homes. However, many people returning to their homes were stopped at police checkpoints and turned back, or not permitted to take their vehicles into the immediate area. Approximately 100 of the 12,000 evacuated homes were left uninhabitable. On August 11, almost all residents who had to be evacuated were allowed back, though about 35 families had to wait while tests by health officials were conducted over concerns about airborne asbestos.

As a result of the explosion, Toronto officials plan on reviewing all industrial areas that could pose a potential threat to residential neighbourhoods to prevent similar situations. As part of its investigation, TSSA officials and the Ontario Fire Marshal are reviewing past inspections of the facility to determine the cause of the explosions.

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

Various residents were angry because the municipal government allowed Sunrise to build a propane facility in a residential area. Some residents claim that the community was not consulted or notified about the facility when it was being built. However, Shelley Carroll, Toronto's acting deputy mayor, suggested that the facility had been zoned before many of the homes were built.

The Technical Standards and Safety Authority, the agency that regulates fuel safety in Ontario, originally said that it had only inspected Sunrise once since it opened in 2005. They later contradicted this by stating that they had issued stop work orders in 2006 and 2007 over safety violations.

On August 19, nine days after the explosions, Sunrise issued a short news release, stating that the company regrets the loss of life and that they were co-operating with authorities' investigations. The news release also said that they would not be making any more public comments in the near future to prevent speculation and misinformation. On August 21 2008 the TSSA issued a notice that Sunrise Propane have immediately have its authorization revoked.

Six other propane facilities in the province have been shut down as a result of an audit prompted by the explosions. Facilities in Kitchener, Waterloo, Cornwall, Ottawa, and two in Toronto have been ordered to shut down after failing to show that their employees were properly trained at the facilities.

Parminder Saini's father was granted a visa to travel from Punjab to Canada to aid in the investigation, although Parminder's brother and mother were denied by the Canadian Consulate. This decision was later changed after the Department of Citizenship and Immigration was informed of the situation.

Felipe De Leon, an employee at Sunrise, stated that he had completed an illegal propane transfer when he noticed smoke at the north end of the facility. De Leon said he then went inside the facility's office to warn Saini to flee the building, but he refused. De Leon then fled from the facility while Parminder walked towards the smoke.

Cleaning up the result of the explosion cost the city of Toronto $CAD 1.8 million, half of which was paid by the province of Ontario.