Hydro vault responsible for explosion at Yonge and King in Toronto

A hydro vault fire has been confirmed as the cause of an explosion that engulfed Scotia Plaza in smoke earlier today.

No injuries were reported after the explosion, which was heard at King and Yonge just after 5 pm on Monday.

See also

• An explosion just occurred in downtown Toronto at Yonge and King

Multiple police and fire department vehicles attended the scene, and the public was asked to avoid the area while an investigation was carried out. The subway service was diverted due to the ongoing police investigation, while the nearby RBC building was also evacuated.

Earlier in the evening Fire Chief and General Manager of Toronto Fire Services Matthew Pegg took to Twitter saying that the incident was a hydro vault fire.

The @Toronto_Fire incident at King and Bay is controlled. Hydro vault fire. Working with @TorontoHydro to mitigate.

— Matthew Pegg (@ChiefPeggTFS) May 1, 2017

Pegg also wrote that the closures were a precautionary measure, telling reporters at the scene that they wanted to keep everyone away from the smoke in case it was toxic due to burning plastics and components within the vault. Policemen at the scene could also be seen wearing facemasks to protect themselves from the fumes.

All evacuations, road and path closures and TTC bypasses are precautionary as @Toronto_Fire fully suppresses the hydro vault fire.

— Matthew Pegg (@ChiefPeggTFS) May 1, 2017

Later on in the evening it was confirmed that the incident was controlled and that Toronto Hydro had sent specialised crews to the area to investigate the situation.

Just spoke w/ our Incident Commander. Situation is controlled. Additional @Toronto_Fire crews brought in to help control smoke. No injuries

— Matthew Pegg (@ChiefPeggTFS) May 1, 2017

Though it is not yet known what caused the hydro vault fire; factors including rain, humidity, and deterioration are among the typical causes of this kind of fire.