Mid-morning reports on the efforts to get City Hall re-lighted suggest the job is going slower than hoped. Cam Woolley on CP24 guessed that hard-pressed Hydro crews might miss the noon-time resolution mentioned overnight. It will, apparently require five mobile generators which are not yet connected, said Woolley. Four generators are said to be on scene with another coming from Quebec. CP24  At her Twitter account Councillor Kristyn Wong-Tam (Ward 27) described the shock of the frightening explosions and blackout. Proof that partisan gibberish is never too far away on Twitter is a Tweet asking if the Councillor will be blaming this incident on Ford Nation. Oh well. Twitter 

David Chen, owner of the Spadina Chinatown Lucky Moose grocery store has come out publicly for John Tory for mayor. The media has made much of the support given to Chen by then Trinity Spadina MP Olivia Chow when he faced charges of manhandling a shoplifter. But many people gave Chen support. Stephen Harper aced out the  NDP by wining and dining the humble grocer in Ottawa and then writing legislation that gave small store owners more leeway to crack down on pilferers. Today, the Lucky Moose man endorsed Tory after a meeting of the Spadina BIA, an organization strongly influenced by downtown Chinese businessmen. They are four square in support of Tory. CP24

Blowing smoke took on a new meaning at City Hall this afternoon in rather a frightening incident that ended with no one hurt. It began during a training program, according to fire officials, as civilian wardens were being taught what to do during a real fire. A ladder fell onto a transformer in the municipal electrical room causing a nasty short circuit. City Hall had to be evacuated and there was a report of low level smoke inhalation. It does not appear that anyone was hospitalized. The short caused a total blackout at the 27-storey building and forced the cancellation of all services and events including civil marriages. And the outlook for tomorrow is not clear yet as hydro workers assess the damage and how to fix it. More pictures  City’s news release.

A man has been shot to death in a confrontation with Peel Region Police in Brampton after he was stopped in a car about 10 p.m. last night. The CBC recorded a very coherent witness named Richard Appleby. He was outside the Crabby Joe’s Restaurant on Kennedy Road during a break when the incident occurred. Mr. Appleby’s interview can be seen here.