Seven people were taken to the hospital on Tuesday morning, four with critical injuries, after an apparent gas explosion at a North York building under construction, prompting a large emergency response and road closures in the area.
Toronto Fire Services said crews were called to 68 Esther Shiner Boulevard, near Leslie Street and Sheppard Avenue East, at approximately 9:18 a.m. for reports of a natural gas fire in the boiler room of a penthouse unit.
Toronto police later confirmed the incident was being treated as an industrial accident. Emergency services responded to an explosion call inside the building, which was under construction at the time. The site was fully evacuated of workers as a precaution.
Police said seven people were transported to the hospital; three with serious injuries, while four others are in critical condition.
Gas service to the building was shut off, and parts of the structure were evacuated while crews secured the area. Investigators are still working to determine the cause of the incident.
Authorities noted that contract work was taking place in or around the building at the time, though it remains unclear whether that contributed to the event.
The Ministry of Labour has been notified.
As of late morning, westbound Esther Shiner Boulevard was closed at Provost Drive, and commuters were advised to avoid the area.