Huge explosion last night in Toronto

[evangilder]

There was a series of explosions at a propane yard in Toronto last night. There were some pretty sizable explosions, but this one, shown on Youtube as of this morning seemed a little odd.


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CMnKA8QXNmI

At about 12-13 seconds into the clip, you see a huge shockwave followed by a very powerful explosion. What started this is under investigations, but it has some buzz going on.

 

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

Yeah that video is interesting. I wonder what caused the explosions.

 

[Lucky13]

Looks a bit weird....

 

[evangilder]

I have seen propane go up before and that looked like something else. I'm wondering if this is some kind of sabotage.

 

[ToughOmbre]

Wow!

Here's some info from Fox.....

'Fireball' Explosions at Toronto Propane Facility Force Evacuations
Sunday, August 10, 2008

TORONTO — Explosions at a propane facility forced thousands of people to evacuate a northwestern Toronto neighborhood early Sunday, and witnesses described the sky lighting up in the glow of an enormous fireball before turning black with billowing smoke.

Police said there were only minor injuries, but firefighters were battling blazes at the Sunrise Propane Industrial Gases facility hours later.

The series of explosions around 3:50 a.m. EDT also shut down the city's busiest highways and a part of the subway system, snarling traffic.

Toronto fire services division commander Bob O'Hallarn said they are close to extinguishing all the burning tanker trucks, significantly reducing the risk of another explosion at the fill up facility.

O'Hallarn said he is aware of only minor injuries among nearby residents, although one person is unaccounted for.

"I think we were very lucky," said O'Hallarn, who was surprised by the extent of one of the explosions. "There was a very large of amount of fire when we arrived. It could have been much more serious."

Some residents said the blast was so forceful they felt their homes rock as though they had been struck by an earthquake.

"It was just a tremendous explosion and blew all the windows out of the house, just blew the house up, and I just managed to get out of there in time," said Robert Helman, who was covered in cuts and bruises as he fled his home.

Frightened residents within a one-mile radius were ordered to evacuate immediately, and police brought in buses to take residents out of the area.

About a dozen terrified residents — some clad in pajamas and housecoats — found their way on foot to nearby Yorkdale shopping mall, where security offered them water and a place to rest.

O'Hallarn said thousands were evacuated but he couldn't immediately identify how many people would be affected by the evacuation request. Census data of that part of Toronto suggests that there could be as many 12,500 people and 5,300 private dwellings in the area around the explosion.

O'Hallarn saw at least five heavily damaged homes and said windows were blown out a fair distance from the scene.

He said most of the residents were evacuated to a nearby university. He said it could he hours before residents are allowed back.

O'Hallarn said he saw large parts of metal on the street and said it looked like they were from tanker trucks.

A truck driver at the facility checked himself into a local hospital and seems to be OK, O'Hallarn said.

TO

 

[wilbur1]

Thats one heck of a shockwave

 

[Matt308]

Had a similar accident happen here locally in Tacoma. A propane tanker truck driver was trying connect his hose to a storage tank at an industrial plant. The connection was not made and a leak started. The explosion was phenomenal. I was at a soccer game about 11 miles away and it sounded like a weird thunderclap REALLY close.


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jsD8HFcOfCU

 

[pbfoot]

Seems to be a bigger story in the US then here, no cause yet but suppose the fire marshall will be in soon . Lots of fleet vehicles like Taxis and police cars use propane as fuel here . Sounds a like a good day for the glaziers

 

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

Had a similar accident happen here locally in Tacoma. A propane tanker truck driver was trying connect his hose to a storage tank at an industrial plant. The connection was not made and a leak started. The explosion was phenomenal. I was at a soccer game about 11 miles away and it sounded like a weird thunderclap REALLY close.


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jsD8HFcOfCU

You think that was impressive, you should have seen the explosion from the oil pipeline I saw get blown up near our camp in Iraq. We were about 2 miles away from it and I could feel the heat on my face. Hell 3 days later the sky at night was still like it was day time and I could feel the heat on my face.

 

[pbfoot]

one firefighter bought it and a couple of neighbours slightly hurt
they have brought a criminal investigator in but assuming it's just SOP in something so dramatic. Still the major artery across the city the 401 with its12-16 lanes is closed east and west and south . So the question is will there be pandemonium in the AM with traffic

 

[Matt308]

Yep. 1st world country reaction. No panic. Console the victims and worry about the morning commute. Life goes on.

My prayers to the Canadians that were hurt or injured.

 

[Broncazonk]

The Pepcon Disaster: Now THIS is an explosion!


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y8RY_ibNq3c

Bronc

 

[wilbur1]

Yeah that last blast was huge

 

[trackend]

Cant say Ive been around anything as big as that and Im very glad I was not in Iraq Adler. A chemical plant near my work went up in the 70's and 40 gallon drums went 200 feet straight up like rockets and welding bottles kept going off like small bombs. As you say Eric unusual shock wave from propane, All I can think of it a liquid pressurized bulk container getting boiled then bursting.

 

[rochie]

we have had a couple like that at the ICI works at billingham where i live we even had black soot falling like snow after one fire a few years ago