'Leaning' building deemed unsafe in unresolved 2014 inspection

A two-storey building near Kensington Market that police said was "leaning" toward the sidewalk and in danger of collapsing Friday was deemed unsafe by the city in 2014. 

According to City of Toronto records online, an order to remedy the unsafe building was left unresolved. 

CBC Toronto has reached out to the city for comment. 

The city said the "unsafe structure" had been removed early Saturday afternoon. Demolition crews began removing portions of the building Friday night, which is located at Dundas Street W. and Augusta Avenue.

The remaining structure needs to be further assessed before being deemed safe, the city said in a post on X, formerly Twitter. 

Fire crews said the building and adjoining units were evacuated. Eight families have nowhere else to stay and will receive help from the Red Cross, Toronto Fire said. 

Dundas Street W. reopened Saturday afternoon. The city said pedestrians will be diverted from the sidewalk next to the building, and TTC service has resumed. 

Toronto Fire said they received reports about the leaning building around 10 a.m. on Friday. A construction crew working across the street from the building noticed it moving and called 911, Deputy Fire Chief Jim Jessop said.

The front facade partly collapsed and the roof structure was compromised, he said. There were no reports of an explosion or fire.

'I heard crackling'

Suya Lee said she was inside the building buying a lottery ticket when it began to collapse. The owner yelled at her to get out, she said.

Her husband, Stephen Ellis, was waiting outside with their friend's dog. He said he could hear bricks breaking apart and debris falling.

"[The dog] was really spooked. Then I heard the crackling and saw the edge of the building coming out," Ellis said. "It only took about a minute."

Lee said she was scared and confused about what was happening. After she exited, she saw white plaster on the ground and the building leaning.

"Thank God I left the store," she said. 

WATCH | Lack of maintenance could be behind building's condition, expert says: 

Toronto’s leaning building may collapse, police say. An expert blames deterioration | Canada Tonight

3 months ago

Duration 9:53

Demolition crews were called to the scene of a two-storey Toronto building that police say is leaning toward the sidewalk and in danger of collapsing. Yasser Korany, a forensic engineer, tells Canada Tonight that a lack of maintenance could be one of the reasons behind the building's poor condition.

On Friday, Jessop said Toronto Building was on the scene and would work with the building's owner to determine how to bring it down in a controlled demolition, if it did not collapse by itself first.

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

Max Huang's apartment in the leaning building was evacuated Friday morning. 

He said he heard cracking noises around 10:30 a.m. Soon afterwards, while he was in a work meeting, firefighters started banging on his front door, telling him to get out. 

Huang said he managed to grab his laptop and wallet before exiting the building with a few others through the fire escape. He said he left many belongings behind and is concerned whether he'll be able to retrieve them. 

While Huang is glad everyone got out of the building safely, he said he is worried about what will happen next — particularly for the residents who live in the front apartment that is now jutting out over the sidewalk. 

Huang said he will likely stay in a hotel room for the night. 

"Make sure your apartment isn't too old before renting it," he said. 

Fire crews working to disconnect hydro and gas

Fire crews were working with Toronto Hydro and Enbridge Gas on Friday afternoon to disconnect hydro and gas from the building in case it collapses on its own.

Power lines and a TTC streetcar line also run in front of the building and would have to be protected ahead of a controlled demolition, Toronto Fire said. 

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

In an email to CBC Toronto, the city said it has been working closely with fire services to respond to the damage. 

The city has advised people to check the TTC's X account for updates on streetcar detours. 

Lydell Wiebe, a professor and acting chair for the department of civil engineering at McMaster University, said the building damage looks similar to older brick structures after earthquakes.

"I wonder whether the weight of the roof is pushing things out," he said. 

Though a detailed investigation would be needed to determine the cause, Wiebe says he guesses the building deteriorated over time and eventually reached its breaking point.