A number of Etobicoke companies were evacuated after a fire broke out in front of equipment rental companies on Tuesday afternoon, engulfing dozens of propane tanks.
The three-alarm fire broke out for the first time around 3:40 p.m. in a business near Racine Road and Brydon Drive, near Kipling Avenue and Rexdale Boulevard.
Fire chief Matthew Peg said that on arrival, the crews encountered “heavy fire that affected several bottles of propane and compressed gas on the outside of the building” and immediately took up a defensive position.
He said the fire eventually spread to several parked vehicles, but teams managed to control it before it spread to the building itself.
“These are very complex, complex and dangerous fires for our crews, as they need to get close enough to deploy ground monitors – unmanned monitors to keep water flowing – and air towers, the main goal being to keep these cylinders cool.” , he said. “I am glad to say that the fire has already been contained and there are no reports of casualties.
Peg said he was told some of the out-of-business propane tanks weighed up to 100 pounds.
There were reports of explosions when the fire burned, although crews have not yet determined whether any of the propane tanks actually exploded.
The cause of the fire is not clear.
“It is very difficult to recognize when the incident is live, whether it is an explosion or the relief of a pressure relief valve.
Officers attend the site of a fire and explosion in Etobico. (Sean McInnes / CTV News TOronto)
Each combustible or compressed gas cylinder is equipped with a pressure relief valve so that in the event of heat exposure, the pressure relief valve will release. It will release gas, there will be ignition of this gas, but it is designed to prevent an actual explosion of this cylinder, “Peg said.
“So it is quite possible that there was an initial gas leak, there were a number of sounds that sound like an explosion and part of our responsibility, once the fire is completely extinguished, will be to make the origin and trigger an investigation that will be to determine scientifically whether there was an explosion or not, but it is too early to confirm. “
There were approximately 30 different vehicles and 100 firefighters on the scene at the height of the fire, but Peg said the response has been slow since then.
He said it was a “very provocative incident that has the potential to be very significant” if it were not for the actions of firefighters in Toronto.
“It was absolutely well run and they put it under control very quickly,” he said.
Racine Road remained closed between Martin Grove Road and Kipling Avenue as a result of the fire.
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