Toronto Fire Services responded to nearly 700 emergency calls during heavy storm

Heavy rain left Toronto Fire Services (TFS) inundated with emergency calls over the weekend.

Crews responded to nearly 700 incidents in a 24-hour period as severe weather swept across the city on Saturday.

Officials say call volumes were 36 per cent higher than normal, across all categories.

“Our Communications teams coordinated emergency response efforts and supported crews across #Toronto,” TFS wrote in a social media post shared Sunday morning.

According to data released by the service, crews received a 339 per cent increase in emergency calls involving hazardous materials, including downed wires. As well as a 300 per cent increase of other incidents involving water-related issues and 115 per cent increase in rescue incidents.

Meanwhile, Toronto Hydro says it responded to 145 power events largely to due with downed powerlines and trees coming into contact with wires.

“The majority of these outages have already been assessed and restored, with crews continuing to work through the remaining outages,” the utility company wrote in a statement. “We’re also responding to a number of police, fire and ambulance-related calls, which are being prioritized.”

Environment Canada previously issued a special weather statement on Saturday due to heavy rain conditions. An estimated 30 to 50 mm of rain fell over the city, leading to localized flooding in some areas. 

The national weather agency lifted its advisory just before 1:30 a.m. on Sunday.