Once again, residents of Westbury Crescent and the surrounding community where terrified as an explosion blew out windows and damaged homes at 9 AM Saturday morning. It's the 3rd MAJOR incident from the same scrap yard in a year and a half. Miraculously, nobody was killed.
Residents have one simple question: Does someone have to be killed before the safety of our community is taken seriously?
It should be crystal clear by now; If these types of businesses are not violating any bylaws (as residents have been told by Councillors and City officials), and fires and explosions are still frequently happening, then these types of businesses SHOULD NOT BE OPERATING NEAR A RESIDENTIAL AREA.
Can or will anybody do anything to help the residents in this community? Or does someone have to loose their life before something changes?
Sunday, January 27, 2008
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8 comments:
I support you in your quest to have the GB scrap metal yard closed, relocated, or whatever. With their safety record it should have happened years ago.
I guess the "GB" stands for; 'Goes Boom!'
Just wanted you all to know we felt our windows vibrate and worried over this local explosion yesterday as well.
I'm over at 121 Humber blvd and one of my friends over at Guestville & Lampton felt the vibration in his windows over there as well.
While I thank www.cp24.com for posting the link to this website I worry that this too will 'slip through the cracks'.
That said I am honestly happy that the Fire Marshalls office is investigating and I honestly hope charges are forth coming ...
There's just been too many episodes for these to be considered coincidence ... and where are the consequences for putting our community at risk?
I have lived on Westbury Cres. for 27 years. We have had to deal with this scrap yard ever since I first moved here. They continuosly burn rubber, crush all kinds of metal, make noise all day long, pollute the air, cause people's lives and property to be at risk at ALL ours of the day and night. I am really lost as to why nothing is being done after attending meetings with our pollitician, fire marshall, and by-law enforcement officer. We are not prepaired to go around the rovolving door once again!! L.P.
THIS SCRAP YARD HAS TO GO. THIS AREA IS MOSTLY RESIDENTIAL, AND DUE TO ALL THE VERY SERIOUS PROBLEMS THIS GB SCARP METAL YARD HAS CAUSED, IT IS NOW TIME FOR THEM TO GO. THERE ARE A LOT OF YOUNG FAMILIES WITH YOUNG CHILDREN SURROUNDING THIS AREA. THE FIRE CHIEF INVESTIGATOR, THE POLITICIANS, THE MAYOR FOR THE CITY OF TORONTO, MUST DO THE ABSOLUTE RIGHT THING NOW.
As a resident of Blackthorn Avenue, while I was far enough away from this last one, I still remember the last two fires since I've moved in.
I will support the residents of 12 division as I believe in community. I'm here to help however you need it. It's time for us as a community to stand strong and ensure that someone finally listens to what the residents who've been fighting this for so long want.
I just sent this off to the mayor. I will let you all know if he ever responds.
Dear Mayor Miller,
My family and I live on the ill-fated Westbury Crescent where we were jolted by the explosion in the G-B scrap yard on Saturday morning. I was just cooking breakfast when there was a HUGE BANG and our whole house jumped. Believe me that explosion terrified everyone in this neighbourhood. I looked out the window to see a large puff of smoke high in the air over the valley behind me. I immediately called 911. I understand that the cause was a propane tank that was being cut apart with a welding torch. I think the tank must have shot straight up in the air and then exploded, from what I saw, and because from what I understand about the damage caused, if the worker was right next to the cylinder, he surely would have been killed. The cylinder could have just as easily shot into one of our homes and then exploded, killing the occupants. I am trying to figure out why this kind of thing is allowed right next to a residential area because these “accidents” are becoming regular occurrences. After it happened, I was immediately thinking about where we would go, if we were forced out of our homes again. Luckily, it didn’t come to that, this time, but please think how you would feel if you lived next to this ticking time bomb. This business is just too close to where we live, and it is unsafe. I want to know what you are going to do about it. You have taken on business interests in the past, such as the bridge to the Island Airport, which represented far more monetarily, than this does. Our Councillor has been ineffectual, so I am appealing directly to you to do something about this before a tragedy inevitably occurs.
Here is the response back from the mayor's office and my e-mail right back at them. Seeing how the response is from an assistant, I doubt if David Miller ever saw my e-mail.
Eric
Thanks for writing. The Mayor understands the concerns of the neighbourhood and also the difficulties that arise when residential development grows up around old industrial uses. We have spoken with Councillor Di Giorgio's office and they are convening a meeting of city and provincial staff, residents, and hopefully the operator to discuss past and future concerns.
Contact the Councillor's office at councillor_digiorgio@toronto.ca to ensure you are informed of the upcoming meeting.
Thanks again for writing,
Chris
My response back again.
Hi Chris,
This meeting unfortunately will be more of the same. Our councilor only cares about this before an election, also he was a North York guy, and that is still his focus. You say that residential development grew around industrial use, when in fact, this was a residential area before industry was located down there in the valley. My Grandfather built this house in 1935 and my mother has told me that when she was a girl, it was a meadow down there, with wildflowers.
Now it’s about as far from that as you could get and years of illegal dumping of all kinds of toxics are surely leaching into Black Creek. Unfortunately, it seems, no politician will stand up and say that he is going to put these guys out of business. This was the kind of leadership I would hope that Mayor Miller would show in a situation like this, but alas…not.
Thanks for your reply.
Eric
Chris Phibbs
Senior Advisor to
Mayor David Miller
100 Queen Street West
Toronto M5H 2N2
p:416-338-7106
e:cphibbs@toronto.ca
Hi Ward 12,
Your neighbours in Ward 17 are in full support of your efforts to live in as safe a neighbourhood as everyone else in this city. We live all the way over at Dufferin & Rogers and not only did we hear the explosion, but our bedroom windows flexed. This was very frightening to wake up to, and I'm certain mortifying for the residents of Ward 12 and Westbury Cres.
I wonder how quickly David Miller would act if this scrapyard was located in his High Park Ward... He would at the very least be responding to resident's letters.
Keep up the fight!
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