Natural Gas Explosion at North York Construction Site Injures Seven, Four Critically

A natural gas explosion ripped through the top floor of an under-construction condominium tower in Toronto’s North York district on Tuesday morning, leaving seven workers injured — four of them in critical condition, officials said.
Emergency crews were called to the site at Esther Shiner Boulevard and McMahon Drive, near Leslie Street and Sheppard Avenue, at approximately 9:20 a.m. following reports of a powerful blast.
According to Toronto Fire Services Division Commander Paul O’Brien, the explosion originated in the penthouse mechanical room on the 22nd floor of the high-rise building. “It was reported that there was a gas explosion and we had patients exhibiting signs of burns, but there was no fire upon our arrival,” O’Brien told reporters at the scene.
Paramedics transported four workers with life-threatening injuries and three others with minor burns and trauma to nearby hospitals. All of the injured individuals were construction workers employed on the project.
More than a dozen emergency vehicles responded as firefighters and police evacuated the site and surrounding area. Esther Shiner Boulevard was temporarily closed westbound at Provost Drive to allow rescue operations and investigation teams access to the scene.
Witnesses described hearing a loud boom and seeing debris falling from the upper levels of the structure. “We’re higher risk than fire or police — construction is a risky job,” said Jason Dorrington, a handyman working nearby.
O’Brien noted that explosions of this severity at construction sites are rare in Toronto. “I cannot recall in the last couple of years something to this nature,” he said.
Authorities from the Ontario Ministry of Labour and the Office of the Ontario Fire Marshal have launched a joint investigation to determine the cause of the explosion, which is believed to be linked to natural gas in the mechanical systems under installation.
No fire was reported following the blast, and building evacuation procedures were completed safely. As of Tuesday afternoon, officials continued to assess the structural integrity of the site before allowing workers to return.