Man suffers critical injuries after being severely burned in hot tar spill from truck

A man has been taken to hospital in serious condition after hot tar spilled onto him inside a truck, Toronto police said.

Police said they received the call around 7:30 a.m. Emergency crews arrived at Logan and Danforth avenues to find the man trapped.

Officials said the man, who is believed to be in his late 30s or early 40s, was found conscious and breathing in the back of the truck.

“It took us about an hour to extricate him. It was quite an unusual and challenging extrication,” said Toronto Fire Platoon Chief Dave Denysek.

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Toronto police Const. Clint Stibbe said the truck carrying the tar was part of a construction crew working on the roads at the time. The container shifted forward when the truck driver hit the brakes hard, spilling over the victim and encasing him in hot tar.

Denysek said hot tar had spilled everywhere, so firefighters faced the added challenge of protecting themselves from burns while working to free the man.

Fire crews estimate the tar was heated to about 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

Four fire trucks and 18 firefighters were dipatched to the scene. Working with police, firefighters cut open the side of the truck and pulled out the victim as the tar began to solidify.

The victim was taken to the burn unit at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre.

The area has been blocked off. Road closures could last two to three hours.

With files from Mark Carcasole

WATCH: Construction worker severely burned by hot tar spill (Sept. 26)

2:31 Construction worker severely burned by hot tar spill