Thousands flee blast fireball

Thousands of people evacuated their Toronto neighbourhood after a propane gas plant exploded in an enormous fireball that lit up the sky for miles.

Firefighters were battling blazes at the Sunrise Propane Industrial Gasses plant in north-western Toronto hours after the blast yesterday.

A worker at the plant was unaccounted for, police spokesman Mark Pugash said, and some residents suffered minor injuries.

One firefighter died, but Toronto fire services division chief David Sheen said the veteran did not die of any trauma inflicted at the scene. He could not say if he had a pre-existing medical condition.

“It’s hard,” Mr Sheen said. “I’m sure all of our guys are having a rough time with it.”

The explosions also shut down Canada’s busiest highway and a part of the tube system, snarling traffic. Mayor David Miller said the fire was under control, but the chance of another explosion still existed because of the propane.

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.

Fearing the air had turned toxic, police used bullhorns to order the 12,500 residents within a mile of the plant to flee their homes immediately. Air quality tests later showed the fumes were not toxic.

About a dozen terrified residents – some clad in pyjamas and dressing gowns - found their way on foot to nearby Yorkdale shopping mall, where they were given water and a place to rest.

Toronto fire services division commander Bob O’Hallarn saw at least five heavily-damaged homes and said windows were blown out a fair distance from the scene. He also saw large pieces of metal on the street and said it looked like they were from tanker trucks.

He said it could be hours before residents are allowed to return, and that most of them were evacuated to a nearby university.

Mr Miller said authorities were reviewing why the propane facility was allowed to be built near a residential area.