Posted on 04/02/2006 6:44:14 PM PDT by GMMAC
No terrorism in deadly Toronto doughnut shop explosion: police
Last Updated Sun, 02 Apr 2006 21:16:42 EDT
CBC News
Police have ruled out terrorism as the cause of an explosion at a Tim Hortons doughnut shop in a trendy downtown area of Toronto on Sunday, killing one man.
The victim was likely an arsonist or attempting suicide, Staff Sgt. Don Cole of Toronto police told reporters hours after the explosion.
"He's not a strap-on al-Qaeda bomber guy," Cole said. "It sounds to me like a guy who either wanted to do a torch job or commit suicide."
Police said the man apparently carried a can of gasoline into a washroom stall about 1 p.m. local time at the doughtnut shop in the city's Yorkville area, and set off a flash fire that killed him.
The victim was an unidentified male who was pronounced dead at the scene with severe burns to his body. Nobody else was injured.
Explosion triggered flash fire: police
Police Chief Bill Blair earlier described the incident as a flash fire rather than a bombing. Two blocks in the downtown area were cordoned off as police investigated.
"It appears that there has been a very hot and intense fire in an enclosed area within the washroom," Blair said. But he declined to speculate on the cause of the fire.
"Until we determine precisely what happened in that cubicle and what caused those flames that took that man's life, I really can't speculate," he said.
Police said the victim was not a Tim Hortons employee.
They have not confirmed reports the man was seen entering the washroom with wires or possibly explosives strapped to his body.
After the incident, a police robot was used to remove a duffel bag from the doughnut shop, which is on Yonge Street just north of the intersection with Bloor Street. Explosives experts detonated the bag with a loud bang.
Police did not say what the package contained.
Eunice Almeida, 23, a regular patron of the coffee outlet, told the Canadian Press that a shock wave went through the restaurant.
"There was an explosion in the men's washroom, then there was a stampede and everybody ran out," Almeida said.
Eyewitness Jenny Phillips told Reuters that she heard bangs like pops from a firecracker and a scream "that will haunt me forever" as she left the washroom area.
She smelled burnt powder and saw a "wall of flames" inside the men's washroom before staff herded the two dozen customers outside.
"I thought the roof was caving in," she said. "People were screaming."
Blast rattles shop workers
Employees who appeared shaken were escorted from the scene, and some attempted to shield their faces from the throng of television cameras.
They refused to answer questions, but Tim Hortons district manager Amin Islam said they were doing well. "I'm just making sure they're going home safely," he said.
Daryl Fuglerud, a spokesman with Toronto's fire department, told reporters the man who died had burns to his body.
"It doesn't appear that there was much of a fire at all," Fuglerud said. "There was a very small amount of smoke upon our arrival."
Fuglerud said the investigation was turned over to police because it was a "possible criminal" case.
Copyright ©2006 Canadian Broadcasting Corporation - All Rights Reserved
PING!
suuuuuure.
How clintonesque to deny the true enemy.
I bet the candian left will blame a group a radical sunday school teachers upset over insufficient cookies during the cookie break.
(Denny Crane: "I Don't Want To Socialize With A Pinko Liberal Democrat Commie. Say What You Like About Republicans. We Stick To Our Convictions. Even When We Know We're Dead Wrong.")
They obviously need a "bomb registry."
Then how do they explain THIS?
Suspicious package found in 2nd coffee chain in Toronto
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2006-04/03/content_4376426.htm
OTTAWA, April 2 (Xinhua) -- A suspicious package was found in a second Tim Hortons coffee shop in Canada's Toronto Sunday afternoon after an earlier explosion killed a man in an outlet of the same snack chain.
The store was locked down after a suspicious package was found inside the chain restaurant. It is located just a few subway stations north of the first store where the explosion occurred, local police confirmed.
An emergency task force unit was dispatched to the second location and the area had been evacuated.
A blast took place just after 1 p.m. local time in the washroom of the first Tim Hortons outlet located near the intersection of Yonge and Bloor Streets, killing a man.No other injuries were reported.
A fire department spokesman said the case had been turned over to police because it was a possible "criminal case". Police have confirmed the victim is not an employee of the restaurant and his identity is not known. No other injuries were reported.
Investigation is still underway. The cause of the explosion remains unknown. Early news reports said a man was seen going into the washroom with explosives strapped to his chest. But police would not confirm the reports. Enditem
Why do they hate Tim Horton's?
Suicide by donut?
I just have a lot of trouble buying the suicide by explosives explaination.
Even if someone did plan to commit suicide by blowing themselves up, they must know that people will immediately think it was terrorism. Isn't that kind of like terrorism it self?
"It sounds to me like a guy who either wanted to do a torch job or commit suicide."
They call them Suicide Bombers don't they ? why the hell would someone want to kill themselves with a bomb in a DOUGHNUT shop unless they were planning on taking people with them ?
This is either a true story or the lamest coverup job i've ever seen and i'm thinking the latter !
"Tim Hortons district manager Amin Islam said they were doing well. "I'm just making sure they're going home safely," he said."
No big deal.... move along, move along.
I thought you meant photos of the incident.
Gasoline is very volatile. If he poured it onto the men's room floor, intending to light it and run, he might not have expected the vapor to ignite like a small fuel-air bomb in his face
Even if it was a failed attempt at terrorism. The suspect is dead. It's not like al Qaeda is going to claim this one. Osama won't be releasing another video claiming how great his evil plans are working!
I doubt it's terrorism at all. It sounds like an idiot.
...They refused to answer questions, but Tim Hortons district manager Amin Islam said they were doing well.
'Amin Islam', now there is a real Canadian sounding name. (Sarcasm can be fun!)
Weren't the London bombings about 1 o'clock?
Did the dude have a watch on? Check the time!!!!
Where's the car that goes with the gas can?
Where's Matlock when you need him?
I would imagine interpol will be showing up soon. God save the Queen and her British subjects.
Suspicious package found in 2nd coffee chain in Toronto
A suspicious package was found in a second Tim Hortons coffee shop in Canada's Toronto Sunday afternoon after an earlier explosion killed a man in an outlet of the same snack chain.
The store was locked down after a suspicious package was found inside the chain restaurant. It is located just a few subway stations north of the first store where the explosion occurred, local police confirmed.
Not many hate themselves enough to burn themselves to death like that.
I lean towards stupid arson attempt.
But just try to get them to leave!
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