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Nobody hurt after crane collapses onto downtown Toronto intersection

A construction crane collapsed onto a downtown Toronto intersection Thursday morning, but fortunately no one was hurt.

Toronto police say the crane fell onto the intersection of River and Dundas streets just after 10:30 a.m.

No construction workers were in the area at the time of the collapse, but there were pedestrians, paramedics say.

While no injuries have so far been reported, paramedics are keeping an eye on at least two people "shaken up" by the incident, Toronto paramedics Deputy Commander Steven Henderson said.

Henderson says there was no crane operator present at the time.

Mehrdad Nazarahari/CBC
Mehrdad Nazarahari/CBC

What caused the collapse is still unknown, said Toronto police Const. Michelle Flannery.

Paramedics, police, and fire personnel are on the scene. Several streets in the area have been closed and police are asking all drivers and pedestrians to avoid the scene now as they investigate.

Flannery says the Ministry of Labour will also be notified.

This is the second crane collapse in Toronto in less than a month.

"We will want to know what exactly happened in both cases and how it can be prevented," said Mayor John Tory.

He is encouraging the construction industry in the city to "take all precautions possible" to ensure "sites and cranes continue to be safe."

Before the two incidents this month, Premier Doug Ford said he doesn't recall a crane ever collapsing during his political career.

"I can't remember, for all of the years I've been at city hall, of a crane collapsing."