For many, Tuesday June 28, 2016 was just another day, but for those living in the Rathburn Road and Dixie Road neighbourhood of Hickory Woods, it marked the beginning of a long and frustrating journey.

The morning was humid, temperatures were hovering at 21 to 23 C in the GTA before noon. On the radio, you could expect to hear Sia’s Cheap Thrills, the top song on the Canadian charts. International news was focused on Swedish home goods company Ikea, after issuing a recall for their Malm dressers for potential dangers to children.

But residents on Hickory Drive need nothing to jog their memories of that day. Their day was jolted by an explosion so strong it damaged nearly 800 homes in the area.