Emergency workers dismantled a possible explosive device in a vehicle in northeast Toronto, several hours after thousands of people were ordered out of the area.

Police officers first responded to reports of a suspicious substance in the vehicle, parked near Markham Road and Finch Avenue East, at around 1:30 p.m. on Monday.

Police asked people to leave buildings in a 1.6-kilometre radius around the vehicle. The area involved is bounded by Steeles Avenue to the north, Morningside Avenue to the east, Finch Avenue to the south and Middlefield Road to the west.

Without specifying, police said the vehicle — parked at Williams Towing Service — contained a suspicious device that could explode. They were particularly cautious because the vehicle is located near a propane tank.

"The safety to the public has been restored," Toronto police Insp. Howie Page told reporters at around 6:45 p.m.

"The Emergency Task Force bomb squad have successfully dismantled the device in the vehicle," he said.

"At this point it's too early to determine exactly what the device was and the Emergency Task Force will be examining the device."

Student arrested

Police have arrested the owner of the vehicle, a 27-year-old student at Centennial College. He will likely face criminal charges, said Page.

The vehicle was towed to Williams Towing Service from a location on Eglinton Avenue, Const. Wendy Drummond said.

Drummond couldn't say exactly how many people were asked to leave the evacuation zone but confirmed it was "in the thousands." About 50 industrial units were also evacuated, she said.

A number of police, fire and EMS workers were at the scene.

Police were re-opening streets in the area, which had been blocked earlier in the afternoon, causing massive delays for commuters in cars and on public transit buses.