Residents of a 33-storey building are receiving welcome news from Toronto Fire Services as utilities will be gradually restored over the next day.
Friday’s announcement comes after residents of 260 Wellesley St. E. have been without power and water since Tuesday. A water pipe burst inside the building’s garbage disposal room. The water subsequently leaked into the electrical room.
After the flood, the Electrical Safety Authority ordered Toronto Hydro to disconnect power.
Residents were still allowed to enter the building and remain in their units.
Speaking at a news conference on Friday, deputy fire chief Jim Jessop said power was restored to the building. However, he said emergency crews will do a unit-by-unit sweep before “reenergizing” individual suites.
Jessop warned residents to not plug electrical appliances back in at once, or turn all devices on at the same time, because that could force a setback in the process.
WATCH: Power being restored to Toronto highrise after 3 days without
“Please everybody, don’t start jumping into a hot shower. Everybody don’t start turning the stoves on at once. The last thing we need is another issue that sets us back,” he said, adding crews will also be looking at taps that might have had “unintended freezing.”
The Wellesley Community Centre, which was opened to help affected residents, will remain open until at least Monday as a precaution.
WATCH: Heat, water, and electricity still not restored at 260 Wellesley (Jan. 25)
The owner of the property also owns 650 Parliament St., which was the site of a six-alarm fire in August. More than 1,500 residents at that building have been displaced since the fire.
–With files from Nick Westoll