3 pedestrians struck in north Toronto, vehicle smashes into building
Three pedestrians were hit during a two-car collision in north Toronto, police say.
The crash happened around 8:10 a.m. Friday near the corner of Yonge Street and Park Home Avenue in Willowdale.
Two of the pedestrians, a man and a woman, were taken to a trauma centre with serious but not life-threatening injuries, paramedics said. The third pedestrian went to hospital with what were described as minor injuries.
Both of the cars involved in the collision veered off the road. One hit a nearby building, while the other struck a steel sign pole.
The incident also caused a natural gas leak, said Toronto police Const. Alex Li.
Police have closed the intersection and it's not clear when it may reopen.
In June, 2015, a 62-year-old woman careened off the road at the same intersection, killing one pedestrian and hurting three others before smashing into a concrete embankment.
Toronto city council had looked at redesigning Yonge Street in the Willowdale area to make it safer for pedestrians, but so far have opted to maintain all of the lanes of traffic in the area.
As of 2018, city staff estimated some 55,000 vehicles take Yonge between Sheppard Avenue and Highway 401 every day.
Less than an hour earlier, a male pedestrian was struck by a driver at the corner of King Street East and Sherbourne Street. He was taken to hospital with head injuries.
Police initially said the male was exiting a streetcar at the time, but TTC spokesperson Stuart Green later said that was not the case.
Green said a TTC operator witnessed the collision and is co-operating with investigators.
