‘Leaning’ building in Kensington Market may collapse onto sidewalk, police warn

August 16, 2024 Canuck

Toronto police say a two-storey building in Kensington Market is “leaning” toward the sidewalk and may collapse.

The building is located at Dundas Street W. and Augusta Avenue, police said. Police and fire crews are on scene.

Dundas Street is currently closed from Augusta Avenue to Denison Avenue, and the area around the building has been cordoned off. Fire crews were evacuating occupants from the building and from adjoining units.

Toronto Fire said they received reports about the leaning building around 10 a.m.

A construction crew working across the street from the building noticed it moving and called 911, Deputy Fire Chief Jim Jessop said. There were no reports of an explosion or fire, he said.

The front facade has partly collapsed and the roof structure is compromised, he said. Fire crews have established a collapse zone.

WATCH | No report of explosion or fire, deputy fire chief says:

Toronto fire monitoring ‘leaning’ building near Kensington Market

1 hour ago

Duration 0:50

Toronto fire and police have evacuated a two-storey building at Dundas Street W. and Augusta Avenue after its front facade started leaning toward the street and sidewalk. Deputy Fire Chief Jim Jessop said crews are working to ensure hydro and gas are disconnected in case it collapses.

Jessop said Toronto Building is also on the scene and will work with the building’s owner to determine how to bring it down in a controlled demolition, if it does not collapse by itself first.

“One way or another, that portion of the building will be brought down at some point today,” Jessop said.

Fire crews working to disconnect hydro and gas

Fire crews are working with Toronto Hydro and Enbridge Gas to ensure hydro and gas are disconnected from the building in case it collapses without engineer controls, Jessop said.

They stretched out a couple hose lines in front of the building as a precaution, in case it collapses by itself before hydro and gas are disconnected, he said.

It’s hard to tell how long it would take for the building to collapse in an uncontrolled manner. However, he said he has noticed the facade continue to move since arriving at the site. There are no reports of injuries.

Toronto Building will conduct an investigation with the owner after the building comes down to determine the reason for the collapse, Jessop said.