Huge explosion last night in Toronto - Aircraft of World War II

evangilder · 08-10-2008, 01:06 PM

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.

YouTube - HUGE EXPLOSION IN TORONTO, CANADA - 8.10.08

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 · 08-10-2008, 01:21 PM

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

Lucky13 · 08-10-2008, 01:26 PM

Looks a bit weird....

evangilder · 08-10-2008, 01:33 PM

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

ToughOmbre · 08-10-2008, 02:19 PM

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 · 08-10-2008, 02:35 PM

Thats one heck of a shockwave

Matt308 · 08-10-2008, 02:42 PM

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.

YouTube - 2 views of Tacoma propane explosion fireball

pbfoot · 08-10-2008, 02:43 PM

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 · 08-10-2008, 04:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 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.

YouTube - 2 views of Tacoma propane explosion fireball

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 · 08-10-2008, 09:14 PM

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 · 08-10-2008, 09:38 PM

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 · 08-11-2008, 08:04 PM

The Pepcon Disaster: Now THIS is an explosion!

YouTube - The Pepcon Detonation

Bronc

wilbur1 · 08-12-2008, 12:06 PM

Yeah that last blast was huge

trackend · 08-12-2008, 01:16 PM

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 · 08-12-2008, 04:52 PM

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

08-10-2008, 01:06 PM	#1
evangilder "Shooter" Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Moorpark, CA Posts: 14,809	Huge explosion last night in Toronto 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. YouTube - HUGE EXPLOSION IN TORONTO, CANADA - 8.10.08 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. __________________ http://www.vg-photo.com For once you have tasted flight you will walk the earth with your eyes turned skywards, for there you have been and there you will long to return. Leonardo Da Vinci

08-10-2008, 01:21 PM	#2
DerAdlerIstGelandet Der Crewchief Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Ansbach, Germany Posts: 33,152	Yeah that video is interesting. I wonder what caused the explosions. __________________ fly boy:"isnt that the first jet bomber becasue i have flown one in a flight sim before and i know how it handles"[/I]

08-10-2008, 01:26 PM	#3
Lucky13 Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: A Swede living in Glasgow, Scotland Posts: 15,144	Looks a bit weird.... __________________ JAN "Felicis Tredecim" "I´m going back to the front to relax" "THE BLACK CATS FLIES TONIGHT" "Find your enemy and shoot him down - everything else is unimportant!" "When you're out of F-8's... You're out of fighters!"

08-10-2008, 01:33 PM	#4
evangilder "Shooter" Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Moorpark, CA Posts: 14,809	I have seen propane go up before and that looked like something else. I'm wondering if this is some kind of sabotage. __________________ http://www.vg-photo.com For once you have tasted flight you will walk the earth with your eyes turned skywards, for there you have been and there you will long to return. Leonardo Da Vinci

08-10-2008, 02:19 PM	#5
ToughOmbre Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Jersey Shore Posts: 3,233	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 __________________ *“Let's get Enterprise* and Hornet turned into the wind."**

08-10-2008, 02:35 PM	#6
wilbur1 Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Escondido,Ca Posts: 2,206	Thats one heck of a shockwave __________________ Dont shoot him...... It will just make him angry.

08-10-2008, 02:42 PM	#7
Matt308 aka Dickcheese Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Washington State Posts: 13,386	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. YouTube - 2 views of Tacoma propane explosion fireball __________________ "Some people spend an entire lifetime wondering if they made a difference in the world. But, the [U.S.] Marines don't have that problem." -- Ronald Reagan Master of Duplicate Posts

08-10-2008, 02:43 PM	#8
pbfoot Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: niagara falls Posts: 5,588	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

08-10-2008, 09:14 PM	#10
pbfoot Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: niagara falls Posts: 5,588	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

08-10-2008, 09:38 PM	#11
Matt308 aka Dickcheese Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Washington State Posts: 13,386	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. __________________ "Some people spend an entire lifetime wondering if they made a difference in the world. But, the [U.S.] Marines don't have that problem." -- Ronald Reagan Master of Duplicate Posts

08-11-2008, 08:04 PM	#12
Broncazonk Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Posts: 31	Heck... That ain't no kind of explosion. Here's an EXPLOSION! The Pepcon Disaster: Now THIS is an explosion! YouTube - The Pepcon Detonation Bronc

08-12-2008, 12:06 PM	#13
wilbur1 Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Escondido,Ca Posts: 2,206	Yeah that last blast was huge __________________ Dont shoot him...... It will just make him angry.

08-12-2008, 01:16 PM	#14
trackend Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Canvey Island, Essex Posts: 4,029	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.

08-12-2008, 04:52 PM	#15
rochie Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: billingham nr middlesbrough uk Posts: 3,115	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 __________________ "We're not easily frightened. Also we know how hard it is for an army to cross the Channel — the last little corporal to try it came a cropper. So don't threaten or dictate to us until you're marching up Whitehall! ...and even then we won't listen!" quote from B.O.B movie

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