Scarborough Transit Train Service Suspended After Derailment

A rider takes a subway train at a Toronto Transit Commission station in downtown Toronto on April 1, 2023. Cole Burston/The Canadian Press

Five people were sent to hospital following the derailment of an East End transit train in Scarborough, Ontario. The incident on July 24 prompted the Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) to suspend service indefinitely pending an investigation.

TTC said on social media that the rear car of a train on Line 3 had separated from the rest of the train and had derailed on the southbound route. The cause has not yet been established, and TTC said it was working with the Toronto Police Service and first responders to ensure the safety of everyone on board.

The train service along the entire line was replaced with 20 shuttle buses, and TTC said 44 people on board disembarked under the supervision of TTC crews, some requiring medical attention. There was no confirmation of the full extent of the injuries.

Unknown Cause

TTC CEO Rick Leary issued a statement later the same evening, stating the trailing car of a southbound train at Ellesmere Station on Line 3 Scarborough became uncoupled from the front cars and derailed.

“While we still don’t know the cause of this incident, we do know there were several injuries onboard the derailed cars,” he said.

Mr. Leary indicated that among approximately 45 people on the train, there were a handful injured. The TTC did not immediately return requests for information by press time, but Mr. Leary said in the statement he had spoken to his executive team “and ordered an immediate review of this incident, using outside help and expertise, as necessary.”

The CEO said he had directed that Line 3 Scarborough remain suspended with a full bus replacement service “until such time as we are confident it is safe to resume train service.” Mr. Leary acknowledged customers would be inconvenienced, but said, given the seriousness of the incident, shutting down the service was the “right thing to do.”

“I want to apologize to all those affected by this incident and to assure our customers that safety is always paramount to all we do,” he said.

‘Train Flipped’

Deputy Fire Chief Jim Jessop was at the scene and said a number of people, perhaps four or five, suffered minor injuries in the derailment.

“Basically the train flipped off the tracks and they were thrown inside when it happened and our crews were able to assist them getting out and then deliver them to the care of paramedic services,” Mr. Jessop said.

Approximately 20 to 30 other passengers on another part of the train were able to exit the car themselves and walk down the tracks, Mr. Jessop said.

Line 3 is a 6.4-kilometre intermediate-capacity rapid transit line with six stations. According to TTC’s website, it opened in 1985 and the trains running on the track have been in use 10 years beyond their intended service lifespan.

The website states the trains are “susceptible to cold weather, and have already been overhauled to ensure safe reliable service.”

The train route in question is scheduled to be decommissioned in November and will be replaced by buses, with the Scarborough Subway Extension expected to be opened by the province in 2030.

An update provided by TTC on July 25 said that dozens of buses will replace the train service and external reviewers would be coming in to assist. “This could be several days at minimum so we have staff on scene to assist with options.”

Video posted by CP24 on July 25 showed TTC crews and heavy machinery hauling the derailed train car away on a large trailer.

The Canadian Press contributed to this report.