'Heroic' TTC driver rescues 4 people before GO train crushes car
A TTC bus driver rescued four people who were stuck in a car on GO train tracks just minutes before a train rammed into their vehicle.
The driver of the car told CTV News Toronto he was confused driving in the snowy, dark weather along Finch Avenue, just west of Midland Avenue, around 6 p.m. on Thursday night.
He said when he suddenly realized he was on the GO train tracks, he tried to make a U-turn and got stuck.
The TTC bus operator on the Finch east route told CTV News Toronto he’s very familiar with the GO schedule and knew the next train was only minutes away.
After the driver spotted the stuck car, he said he abandoned the bus he was driving and ran towards the vehicle, flung the doors open and unbuckled the passenger’s seat belts.
Both the TTC operator and the driver of the vehicle asked not to be identified.
Just four or five minutes later, the train came on schedule, crashing into the car and pushing it down the tracks, police said.
"He's the hero tonight. If he didn't signal them to get out on time, I don't know what would have happened,” Toronto Police Sgt. Renato Valdez said.
The TTC echoed that sentiment in a tweet on Friday morning, calling the driver “incredibly heroic” and announcing a formal commendation will be awarded to him.
"Fortunately there were no injuries," Valdez said.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Trudeau promises $1B in loans for child-care providers to expand care centres
The federal government is launching a new loan program to help child-care providers in Canada expand their spaces, and will be extending further student loan forgiveness and training options for early childhood educators, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced Thursday.
Spring allergy season has begun. Where is it worse in Canada?
The spring allergy season has started early in many parts of Canada, with high levels of pollen in some cities already. Experts weigh in on which areas have it worse so far this season.
Sunshine list: These were the Ontario public sector's highest earners in 2023
Ontario released its annual sunshine list Thursday afternoon, noting that the largest year-over-year increases were in hospitals, municipalities, and post-secondary sectors.
Several flight attendants from Pakistan have gone missing after landing in Canada
Multiple flight attendants from Pakistan International Airlines have abandoned their jobs and are believed to have sought asylum in Canada in the past year and a half, a spokesperson for the government-owned airline says.
N.B. man wins $64 million from Lotto 6/49
A New Brunswicker will go to bed Thursday night much richer than he was Wednesday after collecting on a winning lottery ticket he let sit on his bedroom dresser for nearly a year.
'Nonsense:' Doug Ford slams lawsuits filed by Ontario school boards against social media platforms
Premier Doug Ford says that lawsuits launched by four Ontario school boards against a trio of social media platforms are “nonsense” and risk becoming a distraction to the work that really matters.
Why some Christians are angry about Trump's 'God Bless the USA' Bible
Former U.S. President Donald Trump is officially selling a copy of the Bible themed to Lee Greenwood’s famous song, 'God Bless the USA.' But the concept of a Bible covered in the American flag has raised concern among religious circles.
Multiple bridges in Calgary shut down for police incident
Calgary police have shut down a number of bridges into and out of the downtown core as officers deal with a distraught individual.
King Charles calls for acts of friendship in first public remarks since Kate's cancer diagnosis
King Charles III gave public remarks for Maundy Thursday, addressing the importance of acts of friendship, following his and Catherine, Princess of Wales’ cancer diagnoses.