3 sent to hospital after streetcar collides with SUV, derails

Three people have been sent to hospital with minor injuries after a streetcar collided with an SUV and derailed at the corner of King Street West and University Avenue in downtown Toronto on Monday.

Police were called to the scene just before 7:00 a.m., Toronto Police Const. Caroline de Kloet said.

The impact of the crash pushed the 504 King streetcar off its tracks, De Kloet said.

There were eight people on the streetcar at the time, according to TTC spokesperson Stuart Green. None of the passengers were injured, he said.

The intersection, which was closed by police for the investigation, is expected to be opened shortly.

In a tweet, police said it required “heavy equipment” to clear the scene.

“This is a pretty complex vehicle and the damage is quite extensive,” Green told CBC Toronto.

“It wasn’t just a matter of derailing a couple of inches off the tracks, the streetcar was pushed well off the tracks and onto the sidewalk,” he explained.

The TTC has added 20 shuttle buses to the route as well, but Green said there was still a “major impact on our service this morning.”

The 504 King streetcar is the busiest surface route for the TTC and the third busiest route altogether after the two subway lines.