Discover Toronto's history as told through its plaques

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The Hoggs Hollow Tragedy

Photo by Alan L Brown - Posted August, 2008

Photo by contributor Wayne Adam - Posted November, 2010

On the west side of Yonge Street just south of its intersection with Wilson Avenue/York Mills Road, at an entrance to the York Mills Subway Station, is this 2000 City of Toronto Culture Division plaque. Here's what it says:

Coordinates: 43.74335 -79.40674

On March 17, 1960, five Italian immigrant workers, Pasquale Allegrezza, Giovanni Battista Carriglio, Giovanni Fusillo, Alessandro and Guido Mantella, died in a tragic accident during construction of a tunnel at Hoggs Hollow. The details of the accident, where the workers were trapped 10.5 metres underground in a cramped, dimly lit tunnel, sparked a public outcry over the lack of safety standards in construction. The Italian community was gripped with sorrow over the deaths and and angry over the conditions that led to such needless loss of life. A groundswell of public opinion and union organizing for stronger safety enforcement resulted in a Royal Commission that ultimately led to better safety and labour laws. The Hoggs Hollow tragedy was a catalyst that changed forever the safety laws in Ontario and saved many lives as a result.

Photo by Alan L Brown - Posted March, 2009

On March 17, 2010, 50 years after the tragedy, this quilt, titled "Breaking Ground - The Hoggs Hollow Memorial" and created by artist Laurie Swim, was unveiled inside the paid area of the York Mills Subway Station.

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Disaster

Here are the visitors' comments for this page.

> Posted August 18, 2016
This disaster was named a National Historic Event in 2011. A federal plaque from the National Historic Sites and Monuments Board (with Parks Canada) will likely be erected at this site, but there is a notorious backlog. -Wayne

> Posted March 18, 2010
My father told me about the tragedy many times, I was a little girl at the time. He knew the men and was devastated. I watched the special about Hogg's Hollow and now I understand what the stories were all about. So very sad. My heart goes out to the families, who lost their loved ones and the men that were injured down there. People need to be aware that people have to do the job they are paid to do so these accidents never happen again. Thank You

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