

Chris Fox, CP24.com





A hydro vault fire that resulted in a three-day closure of city hall last September ended up costing the city more than $750,000.

According to a staff report that will be considered by the government management committee next week, the Sept. 25 fire began when Toronto Hydro crews performing routine maintenance caused a cable to come into contact with an adjacent piece of equipment, resulting in an electrical arc that ignited the fire.

The fire prompted the evacuation of 1,500 people, though no injuries were reported.

The staff report says that Toronto Hydro paid for $1.12 million in repairs, which included the cost of a generator to power the building in the days after the fire.

The city’s share of the repair costs is $752,783.81.

According to the staff report, that number includes the cost of smoke damage to offices on the first and second floor as well as water damage to the basement that was caused by the activation of the sprinkler system.

The portion of the city’s expenses that will be reimbursed by insurance providers is “still being negotiated,” according to the staff report.

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