Toronto teen killed after entering storm drain during downpour identified as Grade 10 UCC student

A teenage boy who was found dead on Friday after getting caught in a storm drain at a Toronto park during an overnight downpour has been identified as a Grade 10 student at Upper Canada College (UCC).

In a letter sent to parents on Tuesday and obtained by CP24, UCC confirmed that the victim of the incident at Earl Bales Park in North York was a student at the all-boys private school.

“This is difficult news for our community and it poignantly comes at a time when we prepare for the start of a new school year,” the letter reads. “We know there will be many emotions and we want to ensure that all of our students, families, faculty and staff are supported with appropriate resources.”

Officials say they received a call just before 1:30 a.m. on Friday that two teens had had been caught in a storm drain at the park, located off Bathurst Street, south of Sheppard Avenue West, amid an overnight downpour.

According to investigators, at some point during the storm, the boys removed a manhole cover at the top of the park and would have wandered along a 300 metre sewer tunnel that slopes downhill and eventually opens into a reservoir near the Don Valley Parkway golf course.

While the boys were in the system, the rains caused them to be swept away.

One of the teens, an 18-year-old boy, managed to get to safety after clinging to the side of a rock face where the drain enters the reservoir for approximately 30 minutes. Officials say that he waited until he was able to get his strength back and was then able to climb out and get to a nearby parking lot, where a passerby called 911.

The second teen was found dead hours later, about half a kilometre from where he exited the system, officials said.

Speaking to reporters on Friday, Toronto Fire Division Commander Steven Darling said the two boys appeared to have entered into the sewer system of their own accord with no malintent. He described the incident as a "misadventure."

“They got caught with the water levels rising and they tried to get out but it was too late,” he said. “The water swept them downstream.”

In the letter, UCC says that at their first assemblies this year, the school will come together to remember the student and his “many contributions” to the community.

With files from Aisling Murphy and CTV News Toronto’s Abby O’Brien.