yonge bloor smoke

Smoke and fire at Yonge and Bloor causes confusion during afternoon commute

Traffic was gummed up to the max around one of Toronto's busiest intersections during rush hour on Monday evening thanks to fire inside a four-storey-deep hole.

A fire broke out inside an active construction pit on the southwest corner of Yonge and Bloor Streets around 6 p.m., according to police, though it is not yet known what caused the blaze.

Bloor Street was closed off from Church to Bay while Yonge Street was closed between Hayden and Cumblerland on account of what police called "billowing black smoke from [a] hole in the ground."

No injuries were reported, but pedestrians had to navigate around multiple fire and police vehicles (with the help of traffic-directing TPS officers) to access the TTC.

It didn't take long for firefighters to snuff out the blaze. A platoon chief later confirmed to reporters that "various construction materials" had been on fire.

The fire took place at what used to be Hue's Kitchen, where a single, three-storey brick heritage building stood.

Soon to come where the hole is now will be Sam Mizrahi's extravagant, 86-storey luxury condo tower "The One."

Lead photo by

Susan Sanei-Stamp


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