Class-action lawyers meet with nearby residents of Toronto propane explosion
Last Updated: Sunday, August 17, 2008 | 6:36 PM ET
CBC News
Rick Dillon shovels broken glass in Toronto as part of the cleanup following the explosions and fire at Sunrise Propane. (Frank Gunn/Canadian Press)Lawyers, who have begun a $300-million class action lawsuit against Sunrise Propane Energy Group Inc. and the city of Toronto, met Sunday with business owners and residents affected by last week's devastating propane gas explosion.
Harvin Pitch of Stevenson LLP and Richard Bogoroch of Bogoroch & Associates met with an estimated 300 to 400 people who worked or lived near the propane depot at 54 Murray Rd., where the explosion occurred last Sunday.
The blast and fire killed two people, including a firefighter, and forced thousands of people from their northwest Toronto neighbourhood.
The lawyers fielded questions and provided information about the lawsuit, which will also name as defendants the Ontario government and the Technical Standards and Safety Authority, which were responsible for the licensing of Sunrise Propane, the supervision of its facility and the safety of the local population.
At least five other lawsuits have commenced against the city and Sunrise Propane.
On Friday, the city of Toronto said it would take over the cleanup of properties around the propane depot after the provincial environment ministry received no assurances from Sunrise Propane that the work would be done in a timely fashion.
The cleanup work began Saturday on Murray Road before moving to nearby Plewes Road, then south to homes on the north side of Regent Road and east to Beffort Road, the city said.
Officials said Toronto Fire Services and city staff will go door-to-door to give residents approximately 24 hours notice before their properties are cleaned up.
