Toronto Pearson International Airport personnel had to dodge at least one loose luggage container on Friday on the tarmac, as strong winds resulted in problems across the Greater Toronto Area.
Parts of southern Ontario were hit with wind gusts that toppled trees, delayed flights and left thousands without power. Two people also died, one in Milton after Milton Hydro said a tree fell on a forestry worker, and one man in Hamilton who police said tried to move electrical wires from the road and was subsequently electrocuted. A second forestry worker in Milton was transported to hospital with life-threatening injuries.
Environment Canada had issued a wind warning earlier in the day for a large section of southern Ontario, with gusts of up to 110 km/h being observed.
READ MORE: 2 dead as storm wreaks havoc on southern Ontario, toppling trees and electrical wires
Global News chief meteorologist Anthony Farnell said the City of Toronto had received winds up to 119 km/h, with Hamilton clocking in speeds of 126 km/h.
Video taken from the lounge of Pearson by Stouffville Realty shows winds blowing baggage containers down the tarmac and near terminals.
In one video, a container blows towards a terminal building, strikes a truck and bounces off before continuing towards a plane at a gate with several personnel on the ground nearby. The people run out of the way of the container, with one jumping aside as it narrowly misses them before coming to a stop. Several people then run to the container.
Two more videos also show luggage containers making their way across the tarmac, with another two vehicles being hit during one of the videos. It’s unclear if these are each different containers.
Another airport baggage container was also seen blown into a fence just north of Highway 401.
WATCH: Baggage cart tossed by high winds at Toronto’s Pearson Airport
It was only one result of the strong winds at the airport, which saw airport officials put a ground stop into effect in the early evening.
Video posted on Twitter shows the conditions airplanes had to deal with with an Air Canada Rouge plane descending as it made its approach before ascending, aborting their original approach.
Global News reached out to Pearson Airport and the Greater Toronto Airport Authority for comment but did not receive a response by time of publication.
The airport was not the only transit operation that dealt with issues on Friday.
The QEW was closed in both directions at the Burlington Skyway for almost three hours, and subways travelled at a reduced speed “to ensure safe stopping in the event debris or falling tree limbs encroach on the tracks.” Debris had eventually blown onto the tracks, Toronto Transit Commission spokesperson Brad Ross said on Twitter, causing delays.
READ MORE: Forestry worker killed by falling tree during storm, high winds in Greater Toronto Area
GO Transit also saw significant delays due to fallen trees, broken railway crossings and power outages.
As of 2:15 p.m. Saturday, 17,500 Toronto Hydro customers were still without power.
- Posters promoting ‘Steal From Loblaws Day’ are circulating. How did we get here?
- Video shows Ontario police sharing Trudeau’s location with protester, investigation launched
- Canadian food banks are on the brink: ‘This is not a sustainable situation’
- Solar eclipse eye damage: More than 160 cases reported in Ontario, Quebec
Comments