Friday marks a somber anniversary for residents in London's Old East Village.
It was one year ago the neighbourhood was devastated by a violent explosion that levelled homes and injured seven people.
What had been a regular summer day took a turn for the worse around 10:35 p.m. on August 14, 2019, when a car crashed into a home at 450 Woodman Ave., severing a gas line. Witnesses had said moments before the crash the vehicle was travelling the wrong way on Queens Avenue. The woman behind the wheel of the vehicle had to be pulled from the wreckage. As residents worked to free her, the home filled with gas and roughly 12 minutes after the crash there was a massive explosion.
The blast sent flames into the night sky, debris flying, and led to the evacuation of roughly 100 homes in the area.
First responders were seen rushing house-to-house telling those inside to leave the area and residents of the normally quiet street began running to safety with their children and pets. At the height of the fiery aftermath, there were 50 firefighters on scene battling the flames.
Amazingly, no one was killed. However, four firefighters, two police officers, and one civilian were hurt in the blast and had to be taken to hospital. All but one of those injured were treated and released within hours. One firefighter, who was seriously hurt, remained in hospital for 10 days. During that time the London Professional Fire Fighters Association (LPFFA) and London Fire Department began collecting get-well cards and messages of support for their injured colleagues. The well-wishes quickly poured in and were “overwhelming,” LPFFA President Jason Timlick said at the time.
While 450 Woodman was destroyed in the initial explosion, 448 Woodman and 452 Woodman were torn down by crews in the days that followed and several others remained unsafe for reentry. It took city crews more than 48 hours to clear debris from the street so it could be reopened to traffic. Blue fencing was erected around the most severely damaged homes and crash site.
With some residents left homeless and others temporarily displaced by the explosion, the community pulled together. Financial support and donations of clothing, toiletries, furniture and other household items poured in. Over $50,000 was raised within a week and eventually climbed to $200,000. That money was distributed in the months that followed to those most severely affected by the events of that night.
Damage from the blast was estimated to be upwards of $15 million.
The driver of the vehicle that crashed into 450 Woodman Ave., Daniella Alexandra Leis, 23, of Kitchener, was originally charged with four counts of impaired operation causing bodily harm the day after the explosion. An additional eight charges — four counts of impaired operation over 80 mg causing bodily harm and four counts of criminal negligence causing bodily harm - were tacked on a few days later.
To date, Leis has had a handful of court appearances in relation to the case, but has only appeared in-person at the London courthouse once. She was not required to attend the other proceedings. They were handled by her legal team. Her case remains before the courts and has been delayed since March due to court closures related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Leis is slated to return to court on October 14.
First responders, city officials, the Old East Village Association, and members of other community agencies plan to recognize and reflect on the devastating explosion in a private ceremony to mark the one year anniversary on Friday morning.
