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| Residents flee Toronto explosion | Residents flee Toronto explosion |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| Thousands of people have been forced to flee their homes following an explosion at a propane gas plant in the north of the Canadian city of Toronto. | |
| A two-mile (3.2km) exclusion zone was set up as police ordered residents in the Keele and Wilson areas to leave. | |
| The series of explosions at 0350 local time (0850 BST) on Sunday also shut down one the city's busiest highways. | The series of explosions at 0350 local time (0850 BST) on Sunday also shut down one the city's busiest highways. |
| A veteran firefighter died of a heart attack at the scene. There were no reports of serious injury. | |
| Witnesses described the sky lighting up in the glow of an enormous fireball before turning black with smoke, and some residents said the blast caused their houses to rock. | Witnesses described the sky lighting up in the glow of an enormous fireball before turning black with smoke, and some residents said the blast caused their houses to rock. |
| "It was just a tremendous explosion and blew all the windows out of the house. I just managed to get out of there in time," local resident Robert Helman told the Associated Press news agency. | "It was just a tremendous explosion and blew all the windows out of the house. I just managed to get out of there in time," local resident Robert Helman told the Associated Press news agency. |
| Residents were immediately bussed out the area | |
| Firefighters battled the blazes at the Sunrise Propane Industrial Gases facility for several hours. | Firefighters battled the blazes at the Sunrise Propane Industrial Gases facility for several hours. |
| Toronto fire services division commander Bob O'Hallarn said that firefighters were close to extinguishing all the burning tanks, significantly reducing the risk of another explosion. | Toronto fire services division commander Bob O'Hallarn said that firefighters were close to extinguishing all the burning tanks, significantly reducing the risk of another explosion. |
| "I think we were very lucky," he said. "There was a very large amount of fire when we arrived. It could have been much more serious." | "I think we were very lucky," he said. "There was a very large amount of fire when we arrived. It could have been much more serious." |
| Mr O'Hallarn said he saw at least five badly damaged houses, adding that it could be hours before residents are allowed back to their homes. | Mr O'Hallarn said he saw at least five badly damaged houses, adding that it could be hours before residents are allowed back to their homes. |