TTC buses evacuated due to suspicious package

A Toronto Police investigation threw a major wrench in this morning's rush hour commute by forcing TTC passengers off buses and out of subway stations in the city's west end.

Toronto's transit agency announced at 8:42 a.m. that service was being suspended on Line 2, in both directions, between Islington and Kipling stations due to police activity at the latter station.

A short time later, passengers started reporting on Twitter that they were being kicked off buses on the 45 Kipling route.

Kipling is shut down apparently. Three 45 souths have been unloaded at Burnanthorpe. Buses are heading to Islington now? #TTC

— Sabrina Biot (@sabrinambiot) June 5, 2018

The TTC said a short time later that "select 45E Kipling buses [were] being held for Toronto Police investigation."

All Kipling busses are pulled over and Kipling to Islington is shut off whaaaat the fuck is going on. 😩

— kd (@kayladeexo_) June 5, 2018

Customers on offloaded buses expressed confusion online, as did customers who'd been booted from Kipling Station or found themselves locked out upon arrival.

*Arrives at Kipling station, sees crowds of people*
Me: What's going on?
Person: Suspicious package, police want everyone to leave the station.
Me: And we're all just standing here?
Her: Welcome to Toronto.

— Brendan Ross (@brendanalexross) June 5, 2018

"Where are the buses? Still locked out of Kipling. Drivers have no information," wrote one commuter. "No one outside telling anyone anything."

"You need to communicate with the station staff at Islington as to the status of the buses," wrote another. "People are getting frustrated without information!"

@TTCnotices @TTChelps So there is no Subway service between Islington to Kipling station due to blah blah blah and no further announcement on how people would get to Kipling Station. Are we supposed to like jog or walk to Kipling? 🙄

— Mark Daryl (@MDaryl) June 5, 2018

The TTC notices Twitter account announced that the subway delay at Kipling station had cleared around 9:30 a.m., but that bus service would still be a bit slow for some time.

"Customers can expect delays on 45 Kipling route, as a result of the earlier Toronto Police investigation," reads the account's most-recent tweet. "Efforts are underway to restore regular scheduled service."

all got kicked out of the buses...

bomb threat
..dixon and kipling pic.twitter.com/VfNjcDDH8C

— ROSHINI (@roshini911) June 5, 2018

At least a few passengers who were affected by the delay were told something about a bomb threat, though this has not been confirmed by the TTC.

"There was a suspicious package found on a bus," said TTC spokesperson Stuart Green when asked about the offloading.

"Police take over and make the decisions around public safety and evacuations."

by Lauren O'Neil via blogTO