They thought a bomb was set off At Tim Hortons (Toronto)
Police have towed away a car belonging to the suspect in Sunday’s flash fire at a downtown Tim Hortons.
Their investigation into the weekend incident that killed one man, the individual believed to be responsible for the fire, continued overnight with the discovery of the vehicle in a parking lot behind The Bay at Yonge and Bloor.
After a thorough examination by the Emergency Task Force’s bomb robot, the car, which apparently had a baby seat in the back, was hauled out of the lot. It’ll be taken to the Centre for Forensic Science for tests.
An autopsy will be performed Monday on the man who perished in the coffee shop fire that shut down Yonge St. between Bloor St. and Yorkville Ave. for several hours Sunday afternoon.
Police are now saying that the blast wasn’t caused by a bomb, but by gasoline. They’re trying to figure out whether it was a failed attempt at arson, or a suicide.
"A male, whose identity has not yet been determined was found suffering from severe burns to most of his body," said Toronto Police Chief Bill Blair.
"We're very preliminary in our investigation to determine the cause of that fire...we're still determining whether this was a purposeful act."
No one else was hurt, but the explosion shook up witnesses.
"The ceiling started crumbling and everyone ran for the door," described one man.
"At first people just looked at it, then people started to scream and run out," recalled Ocean Go, another shocked bystander.
The street has since been reopened, and only the sidewalk in front of the store is taped off.
Hours after the downtown incident, another Tim Hortons at Yonge St. and Lawrence Ave. was evacuated as a precaution after a suspicious package, later determined to be a clock in a bag, was spotted. Police didn’t take any chances, blowing the package up.
Investigators haven’t officially released the name of the man who died in the flash fire.
