The
massive evacuation that left part of North York a virtual ghost town for most of Sunday had at least partially ended by nightfall, but residents who were told to return home in an orderly fashion just after 8pm likely wondered what they would find - or find gone.
The initial call to move came just after 4am, following a huge explosion at a propane site near
Keele and Wilson that may have forced more than 10,000 people from their residences under the cover of darkness.
Many left with just the clothes on their backs or grabbed what they could carry. By the busload, refugees were taken the former CFB Downsview and processed by emergency officials. From there, most were taken to at a temporary shelter set up in the athletic centre at York University, where they remained while trying to secure other arrangements for their families and pets.
And while thousands waited inside that impromptu home away from home, their thoughts were undoubtedly on what they left behind - and whether it will all still be there when they get back.
But just getting back proved a challenge in and of itself. Though the city issued an all-clear after 8pm, police surrounding the 1.6 kilometre evacuation zone weren't so sure. The result was reports of several heated interactions between frustrated citizens and protective officers who weren't allowing access.
Certain individuals were slowly escorted into the affected zone, while officers promised to check identification in order to screen for those that don't in fact live in the area.
But others were kept at bay, left to stand in the rain wondering what awaited them on the other side of the yellow tape. Police were given the final word by the city a short time later, though no firm timetable for the area's complete reopening was released.
"Just get things right before you tell people it's clear to go back home," said one angered citizen.
It's all a frightening scenario after what happened at another Toronto-area neighbourhood last month. When apartment dwellers at a high rise on Second Ave. were allowed to return to collect their possessions following a
devastating hydro explosion on July 20th, a number came back stunned and crying.
They'd discovered that in addition to suddenly being homeless, many of their most prized possessions
had been stolen while they were elsewhere.
Police have since arrested
a number of young offenders but the crime isn't far from the minds of those who are now waiting word on a possible return to their homes.
But cops say they have a strong presence and are keeping a keen eye out for anyone who shouldn't be there even as people make their way back into the surrounding area.
"We have police officers that are now patrolling the area within the 1.6 kilometre [evacuation] zone for the security of the premises," assures Toronto's Acting Deputy Police Chief.
Some 40 extras officers were brought in during the emergency to counter sporadic reports of looting.
"I understand that residents are concerned," Mayor David Miller added during a hastily arranged conference call from Vancouver. "The Toronto Police are doing everything possible to ensure that the area is secure."
He emphasized that authorities are dealing with personal safety first before thinking about property, but both are being looked after.
Hydro and natural gas were also been turned off at the affected scene, though most utilities had also been restored by 8pm, though there was no guarantee food left thawing in freezers and fridges would be safe to eat, leaving officials to urge caution.
But others also aren't sure what they'll find even if robbers didn't make themselves at home.
Some reports from the area suggest a number of homes were damaged by the explosion.
There are unconfirmed reports of houses without roofs and windows and doors blown out from the sheer power of the blast.
And there's fear even for those who weren't direct neighbours of
Sunrise Propane Industrial Gases. A reporter from our sister station,
680 News, discovered a badly damaged bus shelter that had a piece of the destroyed propane tank sticking out of it - and that was over a kilometre away from the actual spot where it happened.
The North York residents are hoping this story will have a happier ending those in the Secord apartment complex managed to experience. Because of structural damage, those tenants are still displaced and there's no immediate word when they may actually be allowed to return.
To see the geographic area affected by the evacuation,
click here. (PDF file)
Those with friends and loved ones who were staying at York University are urged not to come to the site, but rather, to call
416-736-5185 for information.