Power restored in Toronto after crane hits transmission line
Power has been restored in Toronto's downtown core after an hours-long outage caused major disruptions in the city Thursday.
Hydro One confirmed the restoration around 8 p.m., saying that some 10,000 residents and businesses who had been without power for most of the afternoon and evening now have electricity.
“Safety is always our top priority. We know this power outage has made today exceptionally difficult for many of you, and we appreciate your patience,” David Lebeter, chief operating officer of Hydro One, said in a statement.
“We had all available resources helping to restore power as quickly and safely as possible. I want to thank all of those affected by this outage for their patience and Toronto Fire and Toronto Hydro for their collaboration.”
Officials said the outage was caused by a large crane that struck a high-voltage transmission line earlier in the day.
In a statement, officials confirmed that a barge moving a crane in the upright position ran into the lines in the Port Lands area. This in turn caused a ripple effect, resulting in damage to equipment at a power station near The Esplanade and Lower Sherbourne Street.
"In the coming days, crews will continue work on the lines damaged by the crane."
Several blocks within the Financial District and the area of Yonge and Dundas streets, including Yonge-Dundas Square itself, lost power just after 12:30 p.m.
The big screens that usually display advertisements in that area were also down.
Other areas affected by the outage included the Toronto police headquarters, St. Lawrence Market, Toronto City Hall, and the Eaton Centre, which was forced to partially close at one point but has since reopened.
Toronto Transportation Services said the outage spanned at least a four-block radius.
Toronto Hydro's outage map showed the areas within College Street to the Gardiner Expressway and between the Bayview Extension and University Avenue were without power.
- LIVE LOOK: Toronto Hydro outage map
Toronto Hydro told CP24 earlier in the day that a large crane in the city’s Port Land’s neighbourhood had struck a high-voltage transmission line, though it was unclear at that time if that was the cause of the outage.
In a follow up tweet, Hydro One -- which had been working alongside the city’s power utility throughout the outage -- all but confirmed the impact of the crane was the source of the outage with images attached of the “transmission circuit that's been affected.”
It’s unclear how the crane was able to make contact with the high-voltage line that left so much of the downtown core without electricity.
TORONTO LAUNCHES INVESTIGATION INTO OUTAGE
Officials with the City of Toronto said they have launched a full investigation into the downtown outage.
In a statement, officials said the outage may have been caused by a subcontractor to Southland-Astaldi Joint Venture (SAJV), a contractor for the Ashbridges Bay Treatment Plant outfall project.
"An investigation is currently underway after a barge with a crane came into contact with overhead Hydro One wires," the city said. "The incident occurred away from the construction sites while the barge was in transit within the Port of Toronto water ways."
The city said it has also requested a full report from SAJV in order "to understand what happened and what needs to be done to ensure this does not happen again."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
LIVE AT 2:30 2-hour wildfire evacuation notice issued for some Fort McMurray neighbourhoods
A wildfire evacuation alert for some Fort McMurray residents has been updated to a two-hour evacuation notice.
Maximum payout for LifeLabs class-action drops from $150 estimate to $7.86
Canadian LifeLabs customers who filed an application for a class-action settlement began receiving their payments this week, though at a much lower amount than initially expected.
Alice Munro, Nobel literature winner revered as short story master, dead at 92
Nobel laureate Alice Munro, the Canadian literary giant who became one of the world's most esteemed contemporary authors and one of history's most honoured short story writers, has died at age 92.
Latest updates on air quality alerts, and when the smoke may reach Ontario and Quebec
Wildfires have led Environment Canada to issue air quality advisories for parts of B.C., Alberta, Manitoba, Saskatchewan and the Northwest Territories, as forecasters warn the smoke could drift farther east.
American sought after 'So I raped you' Facebook message detained in France on 2021 warrant
An American accused of sexually assaulting a Pennsylvania college student in 2013 and later sending her a Facebook message that said, 'So I raped you,' has been detained in France after a three-year search.
Are these Canada's best restaurants? Annual top 100 list revealed
The annual list of Canada's top restaurants in the country was just released and here are the places that made the 2024 cut.
1 killed, 3 injured in head-on crash on Hwy. 417 in Ottawa
Ontario Provincial Police are responding to a fatal collision involving two vehicles on Highway 417 in Ottawa's west end on Tuesday morning.
Significant police presence as Israeli flag flies at Ottawa City Hall
The Israeli flag is flying at Ottawa City Hall today to mark the country's national day, with plans to hold a private ceremony to mark Israel's Independence Day. There is a significant police presence at City Hall, including security barriers outside the main doors.
8 dead, at least 40 injured as farmworkers' bus overturns in central Florida
A bus carrying farmworkers in central Florida overturned on Tuesday, killing eight people and injuring about 40 other passengers, authorities said.