Subway fire in Toronto leads to total chaos on the TTC
A fire on TTC Bloor-Danforth Line Two between Keele and Ossington Stations is causing chaos for morning commuters.
In a video posted by a Twitter user Tyler Patterson, commuters can be seen walking through subway tunnels, as TTC personnel in orange safety vests walk in the other direction. According to the post, the people seen in the video are evacuating an unknown area due to the fire.
Subway tunnels have been used in the past as a means of evacuation in the event of an emergency
@blogTO Monday morning train fire evacuation. How's your day going? pic.twitter.com/KBjCJMT0Xk
— Tyler Patterson (@TylerPattAd) December 2, 2019
According to a TTC spokesperson the fire was caused by a wooden cover board coming in contact with the rail. To make things more complicated 'a non-TTC person on board a trapped train improperly opened a door, letting smoke in'.
Wooden cover board contacted third rail causing a fire. Situation complicated when a non-TTC person on board a trapped train improperly opened a door, letting smoke in. GO protocol in effect from Dundas West and Kipling. 50-plus shuttle buses on scene. https://t.co/vqMG2KgC9e
— TTCStuart (@TTCStuart) December 2, 2019
According to the TTC, protocol is in effect from Dundas West to Kipling stations. Over 50 shuttle buses have been deployed to get commuters moving.
In addition to people walking through tunnels, there's chaos on TTC platforms with hundreds of people crowding at Keele station.
#TTC you think you got the buses to handle this? pic.twitter.com/nAt00q9UDj
— Alvin Ying (@AlvinYing) December 2, 2019
The situation has made things outside the affected stations very crowed and dangerous for commuters.
@TorontoPolice there’s people blocking an entire lane here at Keele station due to a ttc delay, really should have people here for safety since the TTC only wants to have one person standing outside the station, nowhere near the intersection
— Alex Eckert (@Alex__Eckert) December 2, 2019
A photo posted on Twitter shows crowds forming on the corner of Keele and Bloor.
Corner of Keele and Bloor is getting dangerous. @ttc @TPSOperations pic.twitter.com/ktDRkzsytg
— Maria (@TMLMaria) December 2, 2019
One Twitter user wrote that the pedestrian traffic is causing a traffic jam by Keele Station.
Hilarious situation. Subway closed at Keele. I passed seven empty buses on Bloor walking. What’s causing the backup and traffic jam? All the PEOPLE IN THE ROAD creating a traffic jam at Bloor and Keele. They are preventing the transit from getting there. #TTC @TTChelps pic.twitter.com/QmYpRXp9Ui
— Elizabeth Monier-Williams (@analyticeye) December 2, 2019
Commuters are warning people in Toronto to find another way to their morning destination.
They’re leaving us stranded again folks. It’s a mess down here! Find another way to your destination.
— Jason Lascelle (@JasonLascelle) December 2, 2019
Others are posting on social media that TTC staff presence is low at the affected stations, making the situation more confusing for people trying to get to shuttle buses.
Seems like only one guy was working to direct the crowd to the shuttle bus...all of his other colleagues were nowhere to be found. Want to recognize that guy for taking initiatives but where is the teamwork?
— Enable Agile (@EnableAgile) December 2, 2019
There is no word yet as to when the fire investigation will end, and service will be resumed.
