WATCH: Toronto Hydro spokesperson Tanya Bruckmueller provides an update on the power restoration at city hall following a fire on Thursday.
TORONTO – Toronto officials say they have brought in five large generators and hope to have power restored to city hall by Friday afternoon following a fire inside the building Thursday.
City and Hydro Toronto officials initially predicted electricity would return by noon but the damage was more severe than expected.
“Testing is ongoing. We’re slowing bringing the building up to power,” said Deputy City Manager John Livey during a press briefing outside city hall Friday morning. “We’ll do it in sequence so it doesn’t cause another disruption.”
Toronto Hydro spokesperson Tanya Bruckmueller says the generators are just a temporary solution.
“A permanent repair will take several days, which is why we’re looking at generators,” said Toronto Hydro spokesperson Tanya Bruckmueller.
Toronto Hydro say crews were working in the hydro vault room when the fire started on Thursday.
“What’s housed in that electrical room is the main feed for city hall,” Bruckmueller said.
“When that equipment catches fire, it explodes, and it can be quite catastrophic both for the safety of our employees and to the equipment.”
Toronto Fire said Thursday a ladder that fell in the room caused a short which led to the fire.
The exact cause is still under investigation.
The municipal building needed to be evacuated with around 1500 inside at just after 1:30 p.m.
There were also reports of a loud boom heard near the city hall northwest corner.
Officials say two city hall employees were treated for minor smoke inhalation.
City staff were advised to contact their manager or supervisor before coming into work on Friday but without power for most of the day, many were asked to work remotely.
“I think we’ve lost some business for sure. City staff have been redeployed depending on their division,” said Livey.
“Our productivity is definitely going to be down today.”
Meanwhile, the Hester How Daycare in the building has been closed and parents were asked to make other arrangements for their children.
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