Station 412 ... Continued from page 31 ly opened Fire Station #11 at 267 Humberline Drive on Monday, June 23rd, 1975. Unfortunately, the new Pierreville pumper had not yet been delivered so a spare 1952 American LaFrance 840 g.p.m. pumper – one of the first rigs used by the professional force when it was formed twenty-two years prior – was the first rig assigned to the hall. A spare 1948 LaFrance quadruple combination pumper and ladder truck also was used on occasion. The station’s first full year in service saw its crew respond to 118 calls. The sparse population base in Station 11’s area in those early years, nonetheless, did not prevent it from attending at many major blazes in Etobicoke’s north end. Within a month of the station’s opening, a major explosion and fire occurred at a truck wash firm at 41 Shaft Road. A worker, opening up for the day, thought he smelled propane as he opened the door to the building. He lit up a cigarette while he investigated. The resulting explosion brought down the roof. The worker survived with burns. The amalgamation of Metropolitan Toronto’s fire departments in 1998 resulted in Etobicoke Station 11 being redesignated as Toronto Fire Services Station 412. The station is the most north-westerly of Toronto’s fire halls, and in fact is situated closer to the Town of Bolton than it is to Toronto City Hall. The station’s location has often put its crews in a perfect location to provide aid to Toronto’s neighbouring municipalities. Fire Station 412 remains the closest to certain remote areas of the Cities of Vaughan and Brampton. In recent years, Rescue 412 lent assistance at a serious house fire on Longo Circle in Mississauga. Also, since amalgamation, part of the 7,500
Apparatus Assigned to Fire Station 412 Rescue 412 – 2002 Spartan/Smeal rescuepumper. Shop # 25020. In storage - # 1 High Pressure – 1949 LaFrance Foamite 700-series highpressure wagon.
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square foot building has been renovated for use by Fire Prevention Division staff. A hidden gem currently stored at Fire Station 412 is # 1 High Pressure Monitor, a very rare 1949 American LaFrance High Pressure Wagon. The rig was one of two purchased by the Toronto Fire Department for use with their downtown high pressure hydrant system. Out of service since 1978, the rig is now stored at Station 412. Much has changed in the Claireville area since the opening of the Humberline Drive fire hall in 1975. A retired firefighter who was one of the first assigned to the station had fond memories of horses running in the field across from the hall in the early days. One would be hard pressed to find horses anywhere nearby today. Instead Fire Station 412 continues to protect the wide variety of industry, housing and highways that is today’s north Etobicoke.