Hogg’s Hollow Tragedy

Pride, sadness as Hogg's Hollow memorial unveiled

The Hogg’s Hollow tragedy memorial quilt now has an official home and it captures the legacy of that construction accident, says the niece of one of the accident victims.

Deaths of five immigrant workers changed jobsites forever

Dusty, dirty and tired, the construction workers sit, swaying side to side with each lurch and stop of the College Steet streetcar. The late day sun streams in through the windows.

Commemorative quilt gets permanent home

A quilt commemorating the Hogg’s Hollow tragedy was unveiled in its new permanent home at York Mills subway station in Toronto Wednesday, a moving tribute to the five men who lost their lives in a watermain tunnel 50 years ago.

Despite safety improvements, underground dangers still exist

The tunneling circumstances that resulted in the Hogg’s Hollow tragedy would be hard to replicate today, but dangers still exist despite safety improvements, says one tunneling expert.

1960 calamity has parallels to recent swing-stage accident

Fifty years after the Hogg’s Hollow tragedy, much has changed in Ontario workplace health and safety. But the recent Christmas Eve swing-stage tragedy is a reminder more still needs to be done.

‘Sandhogs’ who perished had diverse personal stories

Who were the Italian ‘Sandhogs’ who died in a tunnel 35 feet below ground on March 17, 1960? All five men who died in the Hogg’s Hollow tragedy were of Italian descent and had been plying their trade as construction “sandhogs” in tunnels.

Commemorative quilt also a story of victims’ families

With every stitch and cloth piece in the Hogg’s Hollow tragedy commemorative quilt, Laurie Swim wanted to recognize not just the event itself, but all the good that came from it.

Coverage of Hogg’s Hollow tragedy anniversary should be required reading

I am writing to compliment the work of Vince Versace on his report on the 50th Anniversary of the Hogg’s Hollow tragedy. Mr. Versace has done an excellent job in not only describing the horrific nature of this incident, but he also provides an excellent overview of its historical and social significance.

Hogg’s Hollow tragedy changed Ontario’s construction industry

In the days after the Hogg’s Hollow tragedy of March 17, 1960, remembered today on its 50th anniversary, many hard working immigrant construction workers were thankful to reach the end of the work day, as were their loved ones.