King-Spadina intersection could be closed all week after garbage truck knocks down streetcar power lines

One of Toronto's busiest downtown intersections could be closed until the end of the week after a garbage truck with its loader up took out multiple streetcar wires, causing road closures on one of the city's busiest surface transit routes Tuesday.

The garbage truck driver struck the overhead wires while driving through King Street W. and Spadina Avenue intersection just after 8 a.m., police said in a post on X, formerly Twitter.

The garbage truck's loader and the bin attached to it remained tangled in overhead wires as of mid-morning. Many of the wires were dangling down to the street, and at least one stoplight appeared to have been knocked out of place.

No one was injured, police say.

Damage to the streetcar infrastructure was significant, and crews are on working "around the clock" to complete necessary repairs, the TTC said just before 5 p.m. in a post on X. 

"This is an extensive repair that we estimate could take until the end of the week to complete," the post says. 

The post goes on to say the intersection will need to remain closed in order to carry out this work. 

Katalin Kasa heard the moment the garbage truck hit the streetcar wires over the intersection. She said she had just made it to the other side of the street when the wire came down, narrowly missing her. 

"I was lucky that I made it across before the wires came down."

Kasa said she heard a loud bang and then saw flashes of red light, which she believes were a result of the truck hitting live wires.   

"There were no flames or nothing but it went red after the big bang," she said.

"And then we saw them all fall down. It's scary. I feel I escaped it." 

Streetcars on the 504, 508, and 510 lines were all being diverted due to downed lines, according to the TTC website. Buses are supplementing service where possible. The TTC will continue to provide updates online.