• Stories
  • Local Union Histories
  • Resources
  • Timeline
  • Activities
  • Map

TYRLC 150 years

This disaster was quickly followed by strikes for union recognition by Italian immigrant construction workers in Toronto. Toronto’s Italian community and the labour movement responded to support the labour disputes by organizing a rally of 17,000 construction workers on June 26, 1961 at the CNE Stadium.

Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

The Hogg’s Hollow Disaster

1960 Italian Construction Workers

The Hogg’s Hollow Disaster on March 17, 1960, killed five Italian immigrant workers:  Pasquale Allegrezza, Giovanni Correglio, Giovanni Fusillo, and brothers Alessandro and Guido Mantella. They were clearing a tunnel 35 feet below ground to create overflow ditches after Toronto’s Hurricane Hazel. They had no hard hats, fire extinguishers, or resuscitators; they were working in a tunnel six feet in diameter, and had to crawl under a 36-inch watermain to pass each other.

Soft tunnelling conditions required the use of air pressure many times higher than normal to stop cave-ins and the entry of dirt and silt. The first contractor with a winning (but unrealistically low) bid went broke, and the bonding agency that took over the contract speeded up the work; extended the pressurized parts of the tunnel; and ignored numerous fires in the oxygen-rich environment.

The tragedy occurred when a spark from a cutting torch ignited a rubberized cable and the five men were trapped behind a wall of poisonous smoke. The air pressure was cut off, causing a cave-in of silt and water. Autopsies determined deaths by drowning and carbon monoxide poisoning.

This disaster was quickly followed by strikes for union recognition by Italian immigrant construction workers in Toronto. Toronto’s Italian community and the labour movement responded to support the labour disputes by organizing a rally of 17,000 construction workers on June 26, 1961 at the CNE Stadium. The activism of the community and the labour movement led to a Royal Commission on health and safety, and, ultimately, new legislation to protect workers.

Italian Construction Workers

More story posts about Political Action Social Justice Solidarity
Prev post
Next post
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Proudly supported by

AMAPCEOpng
ATU, Local 113png
ufcw 175 633png
Carpenters & Allied Workers, Local 27png
CUPE, Local 416png
CUPE, Local 79png
CUPW, Torontopng
IATSE, Local 873png
IBEW, Local 353png
LiUNA! Local 183png
OECTA, York Regionpng
SEIU Healthcarepng
Toronto Firefighters, Local 3888png
UA, Local 46png
liuna local 506png
uswpng
toronto education workerspng
the societypng

Get updates when new content is added

Name
This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.
  • Resources
  • Upcoming events
  • Follow us on Youtube
  • Follow us on Instagram
  • Follow us on Twitter
  • Follow us on Facebook

A Toronto and York Region Labour Council website Contact us

Built by Campaign Gears

Initial logo design by Samantha Pollock