Man dead after North Toronto house collapses during renovations

September 9, 2014September 10, 2014 Shawn Star

FATAL COLLAPSE: A two-storey house lies in a pile of rubble after it collapsed while under renovations, killing one worker.

One person is dead after a house collapsed on Brookdale Avenue in the Bedford Park neighbourhood.

Toronto Fire Division Commander Bob O’Hallarn said the house was under renovations and it is believed four people were trapped when the structure collapsed at about 2 p.m. this afternoon.

Toronto Fire pics: Toronto Fire Division Commander Bob O’Hallarn said four workers were in the Brookdale Avenue house when it collapsed. One got out before they arrived, and his crews helped two others escape. A third trapped worker has been pronounced dead. Toronto Fire will attempt to recover the body tonight. — THREE ESCAPED: Toronto Fire Division Commander Bob O’Hallarn said four workers were in the house when it collapsed. One got out before they arrived, and his crews helped two others escape. Toronto Fire will try to recover the body of the fourth man tonight.

O’Hallarn said the deceased is believed to be a worker who was trapped under a “pancake collapse,” as the debris that fell on him fell flat as opposed to on an angle.

O’Hallarn believed all four are workers.

“One of them got out on his own and one we assisted out,” he said. “We knew there were two others still inside, one of them was pinned by a beam that we managed to move with airbags.”

O’Hallarn said the deceased is still inside the house as they’re waiting for heavy machinery to come to recover the body.

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