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Toronto Police Confirm Downsview Park Blast Was Controlled Film Pyrotechnics

Officials said licensed crews staged the effect under a pre-approved permit with no risk to the public.

Overview

  • The blast that lit the Toronto sky Thursday night was part of a film shoot, police said after videos of a bright fireball spread online from the Downsview Park area.
  • A Downsview Park notice posted earlier in the week told residents to expect loud noises, flashes of light and smoke from pyrotechnic special effects coordinated with police and fire services.
  • Residents across the Greater Toronto Area reported a vivid orange glow and loud booms, with many saying they watched the flash from their backyards.
  • The production was widely linked online to a Drake music video after the artist reposted footage to Instagram, though his representatives have not confirmed the connection.
  • Notices near the site referenced a “pyrotechnic event” for a film shoot titled “VIDEO BOT” scheduled between 6 p.m. and 11 p.m. behind Carl Hall Road at the former Downsview airfield, a frequent Toronto filming location.