Toronto theater wall collapses on school

TORONTO -- A wall of a Toronto theater that was being demolished collapsed and hit a school next door Monday, killing one man, trapping at least one other person and injuring more than a dozen, authorities said.\nThe incident happened at the historic Uptown Theater and the Yorkville English Academy, which teaches English mostly to adults and teenagers.\n"We pronounced one dead on the scene," said an ambulance official, who did not give his name. He said the victim was an adult male but provided no other information.\nHe said 14 others had been taken to hospitals, including three children.\n"At this time, we believe there is still one individual inside," said Toronto Fire Chief Bill Stewart, adding that five construction workers in the theater were among those treated for injuries.\n"It's going to take an immense amount of time to get into the rubble and shore it up," Stewart said.\nPolice Chief Julian Fantino said "the situation is precarious at best and dangerous for the rescue operation people."\nHe said the busy nature of the site's downtown location made it difficult to determine exactly how many people may have been caught in the collapse.\n"My daughter called me right after it happened and said the roof had collapsed," said Helen Wanger, a parent of a student who was injured.\nToronto city councilor Kyle Rae said the building's owner had visited the site Sunday and expressed "concerns over safety problems." Rae did not elaborate.\nNo other information was immediately available.\nThe Uptown Theater, which opened in 1920 as a movie theater and a live stage show venue, is considered a historic site and was the subject of an unsuccessful campaign to stop its demolition.\nIn May, theater owner Famous Players sold the building for $7.5 million to Piagga Ltd., a developer with plans to build a 50-story condo tower on the site.\nThe Uptown was one of three theaters that Famous Players decided to shut down rather than make them wheelchair accessible in line with government orders.