Man encased in hot tar in Toronto industrial accident suffers serious burns

By The Canadian Press, News Staff

A 37-year-old man is expected to survive after he was scalded by tar in an industrial accident in Riverdale.

It happened near Danforth and Logan avenues around 7:30 a.m. on Monday.

Toronto police Const. Clint Stibbe told 680 NEWS a truck was heading westbound on Danforth when part of its load dislodged and fell to the roadway.

The truck then came to a sudden stop and a large vat of tar in the rear of the truck spilled onto a worker who was in the back, trapping him.

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Firefighters worked for an hour-and-a-half to free the man from the truck. He was rushed to a trauma centre with life-threatening injuries.

Police said the worker was wearing a protective suit, which helped to save his life.

“When (the tar) came out of the reservoir it went all around and when tar is exposed to the air, it hardens very quickly,” Toronto Fire platoon chief Dave Denysek told reporters at the scene.

He said firefighters had to slice away part of the truck before slowly cutting hardened tar in small pieces away from the man’s body.

The victim suffered severe burns to his head and arms, paramedics said.

Police said the man was breathing and conscious throughout the ordeal.

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