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TORONTO – Seven people were injured, four of them critically, after a natural gas fire broke out at a building under construction in Toronto’s north end Tuesday morning.

Police say emergency crews responded to a report of an explosion inside a building on Esther Shiner Boulevard near Provost Drive around 9:30 a.m.

Toronto paramedics said they took seven people to hospital and four of them were critically injured.

All workers have been evacuated from the building as the investigation continues. 

District fire chief Dan Vieira said workers on the 22nd floor of the building reported that there was a possible explosion but fire officials cannot confirm that.

“All we do know is that there was ignition, there was a fire,” he said in an interview, adding that the fire was out by the time firefighters arrived.

Vieira said firefighters helped evacuate the building.

Fire crews remained at the scene of the incident for much of the day and Ontario’s Ministry of Labour is also investigating. 

Officials were seen checking gas connections at the building and taking notes Tuesday afternoon.

Several Enbridge vehicles were also seen outside the building.  

Enbridge Gas said it was called to assist the fire department, as is “usual procedure in these situations,” and its staff were working closely with first responders.

“We will also support any investigations by authorities into what happened,” the company said in a statement, adding there were no outages in the area as a result of the incident.

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