As the explosions lit up the night sky area residents were clueless at first to what was happening. Some thought it was a powerful storm, others feared that Toronto was being attacked.
Maria Romano, who lives four houses from the depot, said she and her husband, Nicola, rushed to the basement after the first blast.
Fighting tears, she wondered who will rebuild her home.
“Why did they put all that gas there? Why? Why?”
From tombstones blown off their foundations at Mount Sinai Memorial Park to the local residents many in Toronto are being affected by the aftermath of the blaze that took the life of one firefighter, Bob Leek, a Toronto Fire Services district chief. There is also a man who is missing, Parminder Sarminion, an employee at Sunrise Propane.
Mount Sinai Memorial Park is one of the city’s oldest Jewish cemeteries. It is almost 100 years old. Opened in 1920 it has 11,000 graves. At least 20 tombstones were damaged, some completely destroyed.
Until the area is safe scheduled ceremonies will have to be delayed, including Jewish funerals and unveilings.
Businesses are spending Monday cleaning up broken glass fronts and the neighbours that have been allowed to return are dealing with roof, window and foundation damage to their homes.
If there is any good news in this disaster it is that insurance companies will be paying for the damages.
“They certainly can [put in claims], yes. Explosion is covered by homeowner’s insurance, as well as tenant’s insurance. I don’t know if there are rental units in the area, but homeowners’ and tenants’ both cover explosions,” James Guezebroek of the Insurance Bureau of Canada explained.
There may also be pay outs from Sunrise Propane as well although it is too early to say if they can be held responsible.
A quarter of the 1.6 kilometre evacuation zone is still cordoned off. Asbestos debris from the blast was discovered as far as five streets away by the Fire Marshall.
“It has been confirmed to be found in the blast site,” said Staff Superintendent Jeff McGuire during a 1 a.m. press conference in Downsview Park.
“The discovery was made in the time frame we had hoped to be able to open it. We were in the position where we had to take safety precautions for the people going back into their homes and not allow them back until we were certain it was safe,” he said.
McGuire is not sure where the asbestos came from. The blast area showed evidence of asbestos.
Residents are being asked not to touch debris from pressed board or particle matter in their yards. Instead they should call the police at 416-808-2222 so it could be analyzed by experts.
The neighbourhood is home to more than 12,000 people who were scrambling Monday morning for clothing and items like their wallets left behind when dozens of explosions rocked the area in Toronto.
Toronto police spokesman Mark Pugash said the Environment Ministry had been called in and police were awaiting word from investigators on potential contaminants and toxins in the area.
“We need to know exactly the nature of any potential threat before we’re in a position to move anybody into the area,” said Pugash.
Residents are now asking how the government could have allowed a propane company to have been allowed to set up in the middle of a dense residential area.
Residents are not the only ones asking those questions. Toronto Mayor David Miller has ordered a top-to-bottom reassessment of the Toronto’s zoning bylaws.
“I’ve met with city staff this morning and I’ve directed a complete review of our zoning bylaws to determine whether there need to be changes with respect to the safety of facilities of this nature,” Miller told the Toronto Star in an interview at his office.
Miller listened to now homeless residents last night who questioned the safety of the propane plant.
“Several of them had direct questions about the operation of this site, and direct concern that they’d seen,” he said.
“What they’d seen was, they’d seen flames there, they’d seen employees smoking and they’d seen unsafe operation of vehicles.”
Miller had praise for the emergency crews that came to the disaster area.
Investigators have yet to determine if the blast was a horrible accident or a criminal act.
The following roads still remain closed:
* Fredrick Tessdale Circuit, building 201-226 only
* All of Murray Road
* All of Garratt Boulevard
* Wilson Avenue from Murrary Road to Ancastor Road
* Regent Road from Murrary Road to Ancastor Road
* Katherine Road from Murrary Road to Ancastor Road
* Spalding Road from Murrary Road to Ancastor Road
* Plewes Road from Murray Road to Ancastor
* Gilley Road from Garratt Boulevard to Ancastor Road
* Home Road west of Ancastor Road
* West side of Ancastor Road
Moments In Time 
August 27th, 2008 at 7:15 am
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