Police cordoned off the corner of Parliament Street and Queen Street East on Friday after two dogs died and a police officer was hurt by an electrical malfunction. (Ivy Cuervo/CBC)

An apparent electrical malfunction has killed two dogs in Toronto's east end, critically injured a third, and sent a police officer to hospital.

The electrocutions happened at the corner of Parliament Street and Queen Street East at about 2 p.m. Friday.

The dogs were walking on the sidewalk when they were apparently electrocuted.

A man who works across the street said he heard a scream and when he looked out he saw a dog on the ground, its owner screaming and crying.

"I was sitting at my desk when I first heard the first dog screaming in pain. So I looked across the street and I saw a lady with her dog on the ground and he was basically curled up, screaming.

"It was an intense scream. It scared me. I ran across the street to see if I could help, and I ended up running across the street to the veterinarian, and I told the vet what was going on," said Corey Courveau.

Police said it soon became clear that two other dogs had also been electrocuted.

A police officer who tried to lift the dog suffered burns to her hands.

Courveau said it was a disturbing scene.

"The owner was obviously very, very distraught, very upset. She was bleeding. The dog bit into her as she was trying to comfort the dog.

"It's sad. It shouldn't have happened," he said.

Toronto Hydro said Friday evening it had determined defective equipment from a Toronto Transit Commission pole electrified the street.

A spokesperson for Toronto Hydro said crews had made the area safe and the street could be reopened to pedestrian traffic.