Man treated for serious burns after explosion at midtown marijuana dispensary
Police say there may been another man at dispensary at time of explosion who fled the scene
A man is in non-life-threatening condition Friday night after an explosion rocked a midtown Toronto marijuana dispensary.
Fire crews were called just after 7:30 p.m. about reports of an explosion at Tweeder Medicinal in the Eglinton Avenue West and Avenue Road area.
The man was treated for serious burns and transported to a trauma centre, paramedics told CBC News.
Sgt. Rick Proctor with Toronto police says a cause for the explosion has yet to be determined.
"One person was in the basement, not clear what he was doing at this point in time," says Proctor.
"It appears right now that the explosion took place in the basement," he says, adding the man was taken to Sunnybrook Hospital.
Proctor also says there may have been another man at the dispensary at the time of the explosion who fled the scene.
"From my understanding, there may have been one more individual that wasn't injured, but he fled," he says.
Toronto Fire Capt. Michael Westwood told CBC News that investigators from the Ontario Fire Marshal's office are en route.
'They were doing a lot more in there'
Neighbourhood resident Olga Fowell told CBC News residents have been warning about the dispensary for some time.
"We as a neighbourhood have been complaining about Tweeder," she says.
"It was operating as a 'supposed' medical marijuana shop, then it was shut down" by Municipal Licensing and Standards, she adds.
CBC was unable to verify Fowell's claim.
"I have a neighbour, he copied me on an email to Coun. [Josh] Matlow, and said, 'I want you to be aware they've re-opened their doors.' "
"They had a sign in their front door saying they were only selling vapours and glassware, but clearly, they weren't. They were doing a lot more in there," she says.
"This needs to be an example of why we can't have these types of establishments running illegally," Fowell adds.
"Not now or in the future."