A Toronto Fire boat is being honoured for 50 years of service the day after its crew assisted in the rescue of 26 people from a sinking tour boat.
The William Lyon Mackenzie, a tugboat built in 1964, is being celebrated by the Toronto Fire chief, a Toronto historian and a curator at the Royal Ontario Museum in a ceremony on Friday afternoon.
The day before, at about 4:30 p.m., the William Lyon Mackenzie responded to a call that a tour boat named St. Marie was stuck in the harbour and taking on water.
Police weren't in a position to take all the passengers off the boat at the same time, so Toronto Fire stepped in to help with a larger rescue boat, a representative told CP24 on Friday morning. arie
The passengers of the sinking tour boat boarded the large Toronto Fire vessel before being transported to police boats in smaller groups and brought to shore. Toronto Fire officials towed the St. Marie to a dock at the bottom of Yonge Street.
Toronto Fire officials said that the William Lyon Mackenzie and its crew helped to contain an oil slick seeping from the sinking boat.
On Friday, oil booms were still in the harbour, keeping the spilled fuel from leaking further into the lake.
Toronto Fire told CP24 that it appears a part of the St. Marie's propeller failed, causing the shaft to slide out and jam the rudder.
Water rushed onto the boat from the area and into the engine room.
Passengers were not in immediate danger, as pumps were functioning and the engine area could be sealed off, but the boat had to be evacuated.
The Toronto Police Marine Unit, Transport Canada, Toronto Port Authority, Canadian Coast Guard and Ministry of the Environment are all investigating the incident.
