Subway Up And Running Following Fatal Accident

Subway service has resumed on the Yonge line following a fatal underground accident involving a TTC work crew.

The line had been closed between the York Mills and Eglinton stops for nearly 24 hours following the tragic mishap, which occurred before 5am Monday. Officials say a steel platform on a maintenance car collapsed, killing one the driver and injuring two others.

Antonio Almeida, 38, died after the work train made contact with the tunnel wall and precipitated the collapse.

Almeida, who had apparently worked with the TTC for five years, was one of an 11-member maintenance crew removing asbestos from the subway tunnel.

They were finished the night shift and headed back to the Davisville yard when the accident occurred. The other two workers hurt suffered non-life threatening injuries.

“(It was) a very tough day yesterday for the Toronto Transit Commission,” said Interim Chief General Manager Gary Webster. “Tony worked for the TTC for five years. (He was an) excellent employee and (it’s a) tragic loss for us and his family.”

Transit workers spent the night ensuring there was no damage to the tunnel, removing the maintenance car, and working to get the system operational again between the affected stations.

The focus now will be on ensuring such accidents don’t happen again.

“This type of work procedure we’ve been doing for a number of years on the subway. Something happened different yesterday than it should have. We have some evidence that might suggest that some of the equipment was not properly stowed on the car, as it should be,” Webster noted. “It’s a bit early to make that conclusion but obviously we’re checking to make sure that all the procedures that should have been followed (were followed) and if not why not.”

Webster also addressed the issue of commuter frustration Monday. There were complaints from some riders that they weren’t being told what the problem was and when service was going to resume.

“There is no question, the timing of the incident happening when it did, it didn’t give us a lot of chance to get the word out to the public as they are getting up and going to work,” Webster admitted. “We do have to apologize. I mean you can always do a better job when you look at an incident like this and go back. It’s very difficult, of course, to replace a subway with a bus.”