The TTC Subway Crash | 5
History of the 90s
Kathy Kenzora
4.7 • 610 Ratings
🗓️ 4 September 2019
⏱️ 45 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
On this episode we are digging into the archive of Host Kathy Kenzora’s previous podcast the History of 1995 to bring you the incredible life and death story of the Toronto subway crash.
On August 11, 1995, a TTC subway train crashed into the back of a stopped train killing three women and injuring dozens of others in Canada’s deadliest accident on a rapid transit system. The driver of the train that caused the crash was on his second day on the job after receiving just 12 days of training.
Rescuers worked for hours to free trapped passengers from the twisted metal, in unbearably hot conditions. A trauma doctor had to be called in from a nearby hospital to amputate the legs of two passengers who could not be freed by firefighters.
Kenzora covered an inquest into the crash that revealed that the rookie driver at the centre of the crash ran three red lights before his train smashed into the back of the stopped subway. The inquest also revealed a host of safety problems and malfunctioning equipment at the TTC which all played a part in the collision.
Contact:
Twitter: @1990shistory
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Instagram: @that90spodcast
Email: 90s@curiouscast.ca
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Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | Hey there, it's Kathy. I just wanted to let you know that you can listen to History of the 90s early and ad-free on Amazon music included with Prime. |
| 0:09.2 | In the Premier League, everyone pushes their hardest to win. And now it's your turn. With their EPL fantasy challenge, Coca-Cola are giving you a chance to win big by beating the best. |
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| 0:22.1 | And to help you on your way, I've got a tip to help you build your team. Make sure you keep an eye |
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| 0:55.8 | Grab a Coke, drink it in. |
| 0:58.7 | On August 11, 1995, 36-year-old Robert Jeffrey reported for work as a subway operator for the Toronto Transit Commission. |
| 1:08.9 | It was his second day on the job. |
| 1:11.8 | He had spent only 12 days training to be a subway driver. |
| 1:16.6 | On the last day of training, Jeffrey took a driving test and then wrote a final exam. |
| 1:23.1 | When he answered a few questions wrong on the exam, an instructor told him to try again |
| 1:28.6 | so that he could score the 100% he needed to pass the course. |
| 1:33.9 | On his first day on the job, Jeffrey felt terrified. |
| 1:38.2 | He didn't think he was ready to operate a subway on his own. |
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