Two Toronto utility workers injured working on hydro vault, area power knocked out

A Toronto Hydro line worker works to restore power to a house in a Scarborough neighbourhood on Friday, December 27, 2013. Officials say two utility workers were sent to hospital after they were injured while working at a Toronto hydro vault. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chris Young

Two utility workers were sent to hospital after they were injured while working in a Toronto Hydro cable chamber, officials said Saturday, referring to an incident that knocked out power to a small area near the city’s harbourfront.

Toronto Hydro said two contractors were doing work for a third party in one of the utility’s cable chambers when they were injured early Saturday.

In a written statement, spokesperson Lauren Harris said the utility was “still gathering details” about what was only described as an “incident. Harris said the site had been secured and power would be restored to affected customers as soon as possible.

“Our thoughts go out to the individuals and their families and our focus remains on ensuring that crews and the public are safe,” the statement reads.

“We are grateful to the first responders for their quick response and care.”

Paramedics say one man was taken to a local trauma centre with serious, but non-life-threatening injuries, and a second man was taken to hospital with minor injuries.

Toronto Fire Services says they were dispatched to Lake Shore Boulevard and Don Roadway shortly before 1 a.m., where a utility crew was reported to be working in a concrete vault used to bury electrical wires.

Capt. Dan Vieira says there was a “light haze” of smoke coming out of an underground utility vault. He said there was no fire and nothing had to be extinguished.

Toronto Hydro’s online map showed between 500 and 1,000 customers in the area were estimated to be without power for several hours on Saturday due to an outage that started around 1 a.m.

Ontario’s Ministry of Labour said an inspector had been assigned to investigate.