Multiple dead as high winds topple power lines and trees across the GTA
Posted May 4, 2018 6:20 pm.
Last Updated May 4, 2018 7:38 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
TORONTO (NEWS 1130) – At least two people are dead as the Greater Toronto Area deals with high winds which are toppling trees and power lines.
A 28-year-old man was killed after being struck by a fallen tree in Halton Hills on Friday as powerful winds approaching 100 km/h swept across southern Ontario. An 18-year-old was also critically injured.
Sources tell our sister station 680 NEWS both men were part of a contracting crew working when they were struck by a fallen tree.
Milton Hydro confirmed the young forestry worker who was killed worked for Miller Trees.
About two hours later, a man in his 50s was found unconscious in downtown Hamilton.
Police say he was trying to clear downed hydro wires from the roadway when he was electrocuted, and later pronounced dead.
Heavy winds have also closed a number of major routes, caused delays on both GO Transit and the TTC, and even impacted air travel.
Toronto’s Pearson International had temporarily stopped all flight operations because of extreme wind. It’s since said the ground stop has ended, but adds some delays may still happen.
Fallen trees have also been reported in several parts of the area.
A tree came frighteningly close to striking a school bus in Mississauga. Peel police say 72 kids between the ages of seven and 10 were on the bus at the time. There are no reported injuries.
Toronto Hydro says thousands of customers are without power as a result of scattered outages.
Several hydro poles have been toppled in Milton and Milton Hydro says 10,000 customers are affected.
Joan Reid was sitting on her deck in Newmarket enjoying a sunny Friday afternoon when the sudden storm hit.
“It felt like a hurricane,” she told CityNews in a phone interview, explaining how sheets of hail and fierce winds drove her indoors and toppled furniture and blue bins in her neighbourhood near Highway 404 and Mulock Drive.
Environment Canada issued both a thunderstorm and a wind warning for Toronto for late Friday afternoon. The thunderstorm warning has ended, but the wind warning remains in effect.
