Toronto fire crews cut down car dangling from bridge; police investigating

Toronto police are investigating what they believe was an elaborate prank, after a burnedout car was found dangling from a bridge during the Wednesday morning rush hour.

The unusual sight of a blue sedan suspended from the underside of the Leaside Bridge drove much speculation online and from police themselves, who originally believed it was part of a movie shoot.

But Const. Victor Kwong, who made the call to 911 during his morning commute, says police have now opened a “public mischief investigation” and charges could be laid.

“I was carpooling into work, and a passenger — actually it was my mother-in-law — was looking into the treed area of the Don River, and she noticed a car dangling there,” said Kwong.

“I looked around, and sure enough it was there.”

Kwong said he called 911 out of concern for public safety, since the area underneath the dangling car included hiking trails that are popular with dog-walkers.

When officers inspected the area underneath the dangling car, Kwong said they made an unusual discovery.

“Interestingly enough, it was already taped off when we got there,” said Kwong, adding that the kind of yellow caution tape used could have been purchased at a department store.

He noted that it’s the time of year when universities are letting out, and it’s not unusual for graduating students to pull outlandish stunts.

Police remained at the scene throughout the morning to prevent any oblivious hikers from passing underneath the dangling car, while fire crews worked to cut it down.

“Obviously someone had intentionally put it up there, because it was tied to a winch system,” said Capt. Adrian Ratushniak with Toronto Fire Services, who described the car as a four-door sedan similar to a Honda Civic.

He said crews managed to get the car on the ground just before 10 a.m. — about three hours after the initial call came in.

“I haven’t seen anything like this in 30 years” with the fire department, Ratushniak said.

“I’ve seen vehicles placed in unusual places. Over 30 years you see some strange things. But this one in particular? No.”

Toronto Mayor John Tory also weighed in on the mystery, when he was asked about it at an unrelated news conference Wednesday morning.

“I just saw some of the pictures myself that came from television this morning, and I was mystified as to how the car ended up there ... I was just shaking my head in disbelief,” said Tory.

“It’s just a lucky thing that it (was) dangling there, over something where there isn’t a developed neighbourhood or a school or a public park.”