Home collapse on Brookdale Ave near Greer

House on right collapsed

One man died and three escaped from a house collapse at 245 Brookdale Ave. near Greer Ave today (Tuesday, September 9, 2014).. The mid-afternoon collapse of the home occurred when a project to underpin the foundation of the house went awry. The Toronto Fire Department called out its Heavy Urban Search and Rescue Team to remove debris so that the dead man’s body could be recovered. . The Toronto and District School Board has conducted staged release of children from John Wanless Public School to their parents or guardians.  The underpinning process usually is related to a plan to ,lower the basement floor to provide eight-foot ceilings on the lower level. It is delicate work and has been known to cause homes to collapse in the past. It is a concern in any neighborhood, like Leaside and Davisville Village, where renovations are common. A neighbour told CP24 that he spoke to a young construction worker earlier who said he was learning about underpinning.One worker has been rescued from the basement of the collapsed home at 245 Brookdale Ave. and taken to Sunnybrook Hospital.   CBC Photo shows firefighters digging through wreckage to assess how to rescue trapped construction workers.