Tim Hortons Explosion

Radioactive 142 Comments

CTV;

One man is dead following an explosion at a Tim Hortons restaurant in downtown Toronto.
The blast occurred in the washroom of the coffee shop located near the intersection of Yonge and Bloor Streets, just after 1 p.m.
Emergency crews responded to the scene and tried to help the victim. Fire department spokesman Daryl Fuglerud said the man had burns to his body. They do not know if he was a customer or an employee.

No details or speculation yet as to the cause, but all joking about “natural gas” aside, a washroom wouldn’t seem to be the likely place for an explosion.
Continuing updates – over radio: The man killed was wearing the explosives, his body is still at the scene. He is not an employee, but has not been identified … Another evacuation is underway at a different Tim Hortons, because of a suspicious package…
Commentor “BC Monkey” writes;

That Timmie’s is directly besides the subway entrance to Yonge/Bloor station, the busiest subway station in Toronto. […] Just watched the 6 o’clock news. There is another Timmie’s shut off for a suspicious package at Lawrence and Yonge, that’s about 8 km north of the first incident, yes, near another station. (Though I doubt this second Timmie’s will amount to much.)

Update II – CTV is now reporting the man carried a can of gasoline into the washroom.

According to police, another man smelled gasoline fumes and ran out, yelling. A few moments later the blast occurred.
Investigators do not know what ignited the gasoline or what the deceased man’s motives were. Suspicion is focusing on either suicide or arson. They say he was definitely not a terrorist.
“He’s not a strap-on al-Qaida bomber guy,” Toronto Police Staff Sgt. Don Cole said Sunday evening. “It sounds to me like a guy who either wanted to do a torch job or commit suicide.”
[…]
Toronto’s police chief, Bill Blair, declined to discuss the possibility of a bomb.
He described the blast as “a very hot and intense fire in an enclosed area within the washroom.”
The police bomb squad worked at the scene for much of the afternoon.

Bizarre.

142 Replies to “Tim Hortons Explosion”

  5. One report I read mentioned a man with a bomb strapped to himself entering the washroom. Any confirmation? If it’s an isolated episode, it sounds more like a bizarre suicide than any kind of thought out terrorist attack. But it’s early yet in the investigation.

  6. …one thing though, I couldn’t help thinking of the symbolism…Tim Horton’s and Toronto…two great bastions of Canadianism.
    …well in the second reference I made a spelling mistake in bastion….

  7. Failed Terrorist Attack at T.O. Tim Hortons?

    If AM-640 is correct, then I’d say this is eerily similar to the failed Oklahoma University Stadium terrorist attack in which Joel Henry Hinrichs accidentally blew himself up prior to the carrying out of his plans.

  8. This is not the first time someone’s blown themselves up in a washroom… a seperatist terrorist did it in the Parliament building during the Trudeau era.

  9. I heard the same report over CTV – very tight-lipped cops, a bomb squad, and an uncomfirmed rumour about bombs strapped to the “victim”.
    I wonder what the victim’s name is.

  10. I, too, blogged this a few minutes ago. I mention the AM-640 report of the decedent’s having been supposedly seen entering the throne room with a bomb belt.
    See the trackback I did for the URL to my post.
    If the guy did have a bomb belt, then it was a failed terrorist attack just like with Joel Henry Hinrichs III at the Oklahoma University stadium in which he got stupid, messed with his explosives and blew himself apart while waiting to enter and make his move.
    If it was a bomb belt, then the explosives don’t sound like they were particularly powerful, as the guy died of burns, not of being blown to pieces…

  12. I sure as heck hope that the police are forthcoming about this incident. If the deceased was accidentally killed, my deepest sympathies go to him and his family.
    If, however, the deceased had explosives strapped to him, hoping to blow up innocent people, I hope that the police and the judiciary get to the bottom of who’s responsible TOUTE SUITE.
    Toronto’s got to get its act together. Though I no longer live there, I grew up in Toronto, and in the past ten years I’ve seen it sliding badly downhill–bad roads, rude drivers, shootings, panhandlers every third step, a feeling of seediness: Yonge Street is a disgrace. I know a lot of people who are afraid to go to Toronto, which was never the case until recently.
    David Miller and his overpaid minions had better snap to attention to figure out how to fix things–which means setting up programs other than “youth employment centres.” I mean law enforcement programs, where criminals are apprehended, whatever their ethnic background and whatever “the reasons” for their crime. No getting off the hook because you come from a disadvantaged background. (The vast majority of individuals from “disadvantaged backgrounds” live law-abiding lives, so it’s a lame-duck reason to excuse people who break the law.)
    I’d suggest that David Miller talk to Rudy Guillani, who managed to clean up NYC, to the extent that it went from being one of the most crime-riddled cities in North America to being one of the safest. He used tough medicine–and Miller needs to do the same.

  13. I can’t help also thinking of Toronto as the scene in “Lion King” when the jackals took over. Everything beautiful and green had died and turned to grey and a wasteland.
    The jackals are in charge.
    Almost as fitting as the old saying of “the inmates are running the asylum”…

  14. Miller doesn’t have the guts to get tough on crime; he and the rest of the left-wing city council got rid of Chief Fantino, probably one of the nest police chiefs that Toronto has ever seen. Watch Miller start bleating about “root causes” of crime once more details come out.
    THe New York “broken windows” strategy that decimated crime in NYC worked because the courts were behind the police…unfortunately, that hasn’t happened yet anywhere in Canada.

  15. The jackals are indeed in charge. The head jackal being David Miller, a socialist born in England.
    I live here, the police are doing a better job gradually. Last night, a niece and her friends in a nice neighbourhood were held up at knifepoint by a gang of black thugs. They got everything except a phone. A call was made and the thugs were arrested post haste in the subway. They have undercover cops dressed like bums in the subways, the prime method of escape.

  16. If this does turn out to be some kind of attack, you know that it will be Stephen Harper’s fault for supporting our troops in Afghanistan.

  17. That Timmie’s is directly besides the subway entrance to Yonge/Bloor station, the busiest subway station in Toronto.
    Why Sunday though? Trial run?

  18. seems to me something similar happened there several years ago(subway station). can’t remember the exact details. fire possibly?

  19. CP, aka Communist Pravda, says its criminal to make a profit. (“experts” are unnamed… the usual drivel).
    Tory platform would create prison-building boom: experts
    OTTAWA (CP) – Imagine superjails run for profit by private companies eager to cash in on Conservative plans to get tougher on crime. +
    via canoenews

  21. I don’t think there is any doubt about what has happened, especially in light of another suspicious package being found.
    I have been in T.O. for the last 11 years, and ‘new kid’ is absolutely correct. Between the drivers (why bother using my turn signal? It only serves to help others), to the fractioning of the multi-cult paradise into ghettos(complete with old country racism and probs.). Things are getting worse here by the day. “Reality is a mistake” is alive and well where feelings trump reason, reality, and common sense. I think we need to call MADDOX and his pirate hordes to come and clean up this sh*thole.
    CTV just reported that an employee noticed smoke coming out of the bathroom, openned the door to see a guy laying on the floor with flaming coming off his chest. The other suspicious package was across the street, and 12-guaged into pieces by the robot.
    Steve

  22. Just watched the 6 o’clock news. There is another Timmie’s shut off for a suspicious package at Lawrence and Yonge, that’s about 8 km north of the first incident, yes, near another station. (Though I doubt this second Timmie’s will amount to much.)
    Spike: last big thing that happened to the Toronto Subway was a crash between two subways in the tunnel near Spadina station, about ten years ago.

  24. Well, he wasn’t trying to rob a bank on a Sunday.
    Yonge & Bloor is the busiest subway intersection in the city. Perhaps he was trying to arm the device before boarding a train… I mean, you wouldn’t want the thing hot in your home, or while you were driving to your target.
    Or perhaps a walk-on at some swanky restaurant in Yorkville.

  26. BC…
    remember that one (spadina) but there was a incident at bloor/younge. it will come to me eventually and it was more serious than todays.
    if it turns out to be a suicide/terrorist event you can rest assured that millar will make it out to be one of the disadvantaged again. there has also been a lot of speculation on a subway attack in TO being just a matter of time. maybe that time is getting close.

  27. Hitting Close to Home…?

    Our neighbors to the Great White North seem to be experiencing the joys of appeasement second only to France and Spain…
    No word on the guy’s ethnicity…but these days…it take’s all kinds.

  28. Having just arrested suspected terrorists in TO, and now this, will the leftists admit that like Houston, we have a problem. Time for the mayor and friends to wake up. Not everybody loves us. I also would believe the target was the subway, and poor guy had to relieve himself. Probably set off the bomb or whatever by mistake. What is his name and nationality and religion. Watch out transit riders or Tim customers.

  29. From the CTV article:
    “Early news reports said a man was seen going into the washroom with explosives strapped to his chest. Police would not confirm the reports.”
    Ok, this is unconfirmed, but then:
    “Toronto’s police chief, Bill Blair, declined to discuss the possibility of a bomb. He called the blast “an intense flash fire in the washroom.””
    How common are “flash fires” in washrooms? Is it not possible for a poorly made bomb (or incendiary device) to have the effect of causing a “flash fire”? (rhetorical question)
    I’m just glad noone else was hurt.

  31. Frustratingly noone is saying anything.
    CTV did just report the police chief as saying
    “It was a sudden flash fire that could have been much worse than it was”
    Now what in the world could that mean…..
    If this were New York or London there would have been a press conference by now, if not two of them with some indication of when the next press conference would be.
    Absolutely terrible communication from everyone, all it leads to is this kind of speculation. Who knows this could be as simple as someone having a problem while they were freebasing, a la Richard Pryor.

  32. I doubt this is a suicide bomber. They don’t isolate themselves before detonation. They look for crowds. So wrong place, wrong day of the week for a suicide bomber.
    More likely an unstable person who wanted to go out with a message of some kind. Perhaps a disgruntled ex-employee.
    The police are right to hold off talking until they know. We certainly don’t need more speculation. That’s the bloggers job!

  35. chris from Victoria
    No inside info Chris, just pure logic. If my logic is wrong it won’t be the first time. But my money is on pure suicide as opposed to suicide bomber.

  37. They had better answer this one before late this evening…..rush hour is 12 hours from now. If they dont want chaos they had better say what they know, what they dont know and what they are doing.
    No one says they have to make answers up, but if a sucicide bomber is an option they should state that has not been ruled out….if it isnt an option they should rule it out.
    I can understand not a lot of detail if it was a sucicide bomber and they are working on finding the support network.
    Of course if it were just a free basing addict or otherwise you think they could make the statement.
    The silence is deafening and it only fuels the speculation. I only want the cops to talk about facts, fortunately my wife has tomorrow off and wont be taking the subway. I however am on a flight to Montreal…security is going to be an absolute zoo!!!

  38. I’m thinking this explosion was done by the Canadian Auto Workers Union (CAW) as part of their ‘Boycott Tim Hortons’ campaign. You see, there was an email going round encouraging Canadians to boycott Timmies for offering a Toyota Rav4 as the grand prize in their ‘Roll Up The Rim’ promotion. You see, the Rav4 is presently built in Japan by Toyota. The boycott email suggests Timmies should be offering a Canadian built vehicle as a grand prize. No matter that Toyota is spending BILLIONS to build a second assembly plant as we speak and create THOUSANDS of high paying secure ‘non union’ jobs in Canada to build – you guessed it – the Toyota RAV4 in Woodstock, Ontario. No matter that Toyota is sponsering this promotion at Tim Horton’s to promote the RAV4 and create a stable market for the vehicle that they will soon be building in Canada. You see, Buzz Hargrove thinks if the jobs are non union, they’re not real jobs. No matter that non union auto workers get paid MORE than unionized auto workers. Just a wild theory.

  39. The Bloor/Yonge Tim Horton’s is relatively near the Yonge/Bloor TTC station (about 1 block away) – it’s not “directly beside.”
    And Union is arguably busier than Bloor/Yonge, given that GO and Via operate out of there too.

  40. The police chief says it was a flash fire???
    What does, you know, those other guys, the FIRE DEPARTMENT say…
    Fire department spokesman Daryl Fuglerud told media at the scene that the man who died had burns to his body, although the explosion had not caused much smoke.
    “It doesn’t appear that there was much of a fire at all,” Fuglerud said.

  42. You can bet if this is a Jihadist attack. The MSM will go into “Islam is the religion of Peace” mode. Right out the gate.
    As of now I have not heard the cause. Except explosives where attached to the individual. Now part of the washroom decor.
    You can bet if this is a Jihadist attack. The MSM will go into “Islam is the religion of Peace” mode. Right out the gate.
    As of now I have not heard the cause. Except explosives where attached to the individual. Now part of the washroom decor.
    Donuts to dollars if this does turn out to be an attack. It will be swamped by misinformation like that kid who drove threw his classmates. They will make him sound like a loner or insane. Its too late for the MSM, to make a joke out of it like the shoe bomber. That came back to bite them when it was learned he was part of the 911 gang .
    If the person is older, it will be deemed a man who was in despair. Like when you or I get depressed ,we blow up things?
    Any who. Look for the legions of apologists, wailing & shouting this is an isolated individual event. A few Moderate Muslims (Although I am beginning to wonder if this is a myth as well, for the hyper religious ones) will bewail the attempted bombing. Than make excuses. Either society or he was moved by hate for America. The Great Satan as they like too say. Frankly I think the Devil is partial too these head choppers. They think alike.
    I sure pray its not an extensive group. If it where just one nut I would be happier. We have known for a while that we where on there list of people to kill & maim.
    Now that they see there haven is marked & people have realized in this Nation the danger these groups represent. They will show there usual lively thanks by rioting & mass murder.
    This has been there MO since they declared war on the Western World. Our cowardly responses by segments of the press & governments have not helped either. Only confirmed in there minds how utterly decadent & soft we have become.
    Here’s hoping Harper changes there minds & reverses this Liberal Socialist soft power fantasy we have had to endure. From these sophists of self importance

  43. Of course if it were just a free basing addict or otherwise you think they could make the statement.
    Talking about Toronto’s decline, on TTC buses twice I’ve smelled solvent abusers, one sitting right next to me. Maybe some of them smoke too?
    And local 6:00 news (I don’t recall whether CITY or CFTO) said that the Yonge & Eglinton package had been detonated by the bomb squad and that it wasn’t a bomb.

  45. Clearly the police dont want to speak….its been 7 hours and all the police can do is confirm aspects that the eyewitnesses state.
    Tick Tock…11 hours till rush hour and 10 hours till 100,000’s of people have to make a decision about whether to take public transit.
    Yup, Bill Blair and David Miller are great communicators.
    Fantino for Mayor!!
    Oh and where is the Premier of the province?
    Once again if there if they know nothing then state they are investigating and no leads.
    Best tactic the Brits did was call regular news conferences at pre stated times and update based on what they knew. When there was no new information they stated that, nobody questioned because there was a regular flow of information.
    tick tock tick tock…..

  48. Stephen…calm down, come out from behind the couch and turn off the scanner.

  49. Mississauga Matt:
    There is a Yonge st. entrance to the bloor line, which all that separates the Timmie’s from that is a Starbucks, and part of the Hudson’s Bay building.
    Generally, I think everyone is overreacting. If this was a terrorist thingy, how on earth could they pull off New York and London, and yet screw up in a bathroom of a donut shop?
    While I agree higher ups should say something, but it being Toronto, the ever present abhorrent lack of leadership that exists will prevent that, I think there’s nothing to worry about.
    Everyone should focus on priority 1, which is defeating that pathetic excuse of a mayor in seven months.

  50. Mississauga Matt:
    The Tim Hortons is beside Starbucks, which is beside the Metropass/token entrance to the west end of the Yonge Platform. I’d say that’s pretty close.

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