Crews tear down downtown Toronto building at risk of collapsing

Crews have started tearing down the façade of a downtown Toronto building that was leaning towards the sidewalk and was at risk of a collapse.

An excavator was seen Friday night demolishing the compromised front of the two-storey building near Kensington Market.

An excavator tears down a two-storey building near Kensington Market on Friday, Aug. 16, 2024. (CP24)

Toronto Fire Deputy Chief Jim Jessop told reporters earlier that a full investigation would be conducted once the building is brought down to determine what might have caused the structural issues.

“Our goal is to have it brought down in a controlled manner,” he said.

Firefighters were initially dispatched to the building on Dundas Street near Augusta Avenue at around 10 a.m. after some construction workers across the street witnessed its façade move and called 911.

Jessop said that upon arrival, crews immediately established a “collapse zone” around the building, which has a convenience store on its main floor and apartments on its second floor.

He said that the building, as well as several adjoining buildings, have since been evacuated. According to Toronto Fire Services (TFS), emergency crews escorted up to 10 people out of the impacted buildings.

“The roof structure is absolutely compromised, and you can actually see the facade has moved (towards the street), so that is why we are working diligently to get gas and hydro removed in the event it comes down prior to a controlled demolition,” Jessop told reporters at the scene Friday morning.

“One way or another, that portion of the building will be brought down at some point today.”

Emergency services attend the scene as structural faults cause a two-story building to lean over a side walk in downtown Toronto on Friday August 16, 2024. Toronto Fire Services say the two-storey building downtown has been evacuated and warns it risks collapsing after its roof was compromised. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chris Young

Images from the scene show the top floor of the building teetering toward the street, with significant damage visible on its roof, a portion of which has already collapsed.

In a post to social media late Friday afternoon, TFS said it was working with utility companies and a demolition crew to “make (the) scene safe for a controlled remedy as soon as feasible.”

Suya Lee told CTV News Toronto that she was purchasing a lotto ticket inside the convenience store when the façade of the building started to move, and she heard the sounds of bricks cracking.

The woman said that her husband, who was waiting outside with their dog at the time, also noticed and screamed for her to get to safety.

“I was in shock. I was so scared,” she said. “I was like, ‘Oh my God, the house could have fallen on top of me.’”

Emergency services attend the scene as structural faults cause a two-story building to lean over a side walk in downtown Toronto on Friday August 16, 2024. Toronto Fire Services say the two-storey building downtown has been evacuated and warns it risks collapsing after its roof was compromised. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chris Young

Max Hung, who lives in the building, was in a virtual work meeting when firefighters pounded on his door.

“I heard the creaking and the cracking as it happened. I was like, oh, whatever, this happens all the time,” he told CTV News Toronto. “The firemen came up and they’re pounding on everyone’s doors just like seriously yelling at everyone to get out of there.”

Dundas Street remains closed from Augusta to Denison Avenues, and Jessop said that the road will likely be off limits “for the foreseeable future.”