HIGH WINDS LASH PROVINCE
Severe weather leaves at least 2 dead, thousands without electricity,
A man died in Milton when a tree fell on him and a man was electrocuted in Hamilton as high winds and thunderstorms wrought chaos across the GTA, disrupting power and transportation.
Winds up to 110 km/h caused the tree to fall on two men, ages 28 and 18, who were clearing trees near 20 Side Rd. and 4th Line in the Halton Hills area, Halton police said.
The 28-year-old was pronounced dead on the scene. The 18-year-old was rushed to Hamilton General Hospital with critical injuries. Paramedics in Hamilton found a man in his 50s without vital signs under downed power lines. He was pronounced dead after hydro was shut off and they were able to reach him. Witnesses told police the man had been trying to clear wires from the roadway.
The severe weather put the GTA at a standstill on Friday evening. Environment Canada’s earlier warning said wind gusts up to 110 km/h caused damage throughout the region. The warning was cancelled at 9 p.m.
Toronto Pearson Airport temporarily suspended all flights because of the weather. Some delays were still expected as regular operations resumed. A Toronto Hydro spokesperson told the Star that more than 68,000 people experienced power outages, mainly because of trees that had brought down hydro poles and wires. The public is advised not to touch fallen wires and to report any wires and damage to 911 and Toronto Hydro.
Alectra, the electricity utility for the Greater Golden Horseshoe, tweeted that it had close to 100,000 customers without power due to downed power lines and poles.
Hydro One reported power was out for more than 160,000 customers throughout southern and central Ontario due to both winds and thunderstorms. Crews were mobilized throughout the GTA, with additional crews responding to the hardest hit areas.
Public transportation was affected throughout the region as well. A Metrolinx spokesperson, Vanessa Barrasa, said the entire train network was affected.
“There are power outages throughout our entire network,” Barrasa said. “There are trees blocking lines, and many of the crossings aren’t working, so the trains can’t switch tracks. The UP Express is completely halted.”
Members of the public posted videos on Twitter of construction cranes spinning wildly in the wind.
The OPP closed the Burlington Skyway bridge in both directions because of the winds, but it, too, reopened as the winds died down.
Just after 4 p.m., a man was struck by a metal awning blown off a convenience store at Bloor and Dovercourt.