The Hogg’s Hollow Tunnel Disaster

The Hogg’s Hollow Tunnel Disaster

From Dark Poutine - True Crime and Dark History by Dark Poutine / Curiouscast

June 8, 2026 · 1h 10m · Episode 422

About this episode

This episode recounts the tragic Hogg’s Hollow Tunnel Disaster of 1960, where five Italian immigrant workers lost their lives due to preventable conditions.

Episode 422: On St. Patrick's Day, 1960, five Italian immigrant construction workers — Pasquale Allegrezza, Giovanni Carriglio, Giovanni Fusillo, and brothers Alessandro and Guido Mantella — died beneath the Don River in Toronto's Hogg's Hollow neighbourhood. They were trapped in a tunnel less than two metres wide with no fire extinguishers, no hard hats, and no way out. The fire was preventable. The violations were known. A foreman had been fired for raising them. No one was ever charged. This is the story of five men whose names were nearly forgotten — and the laws that exist today because they died. Sources:The history of the Hoggs Hollow neighbourhood in TorontoThe Hoggs Hollow Disaster | definingmomentscanada.caThe Hogg’s Hollow Disaster | Canadian Labour CongressHogg's Hollow Disaster National Historic EventHoggs Hollow | cobtrades.comRemembering the Hoggs Hollow disaster | spacing.caDisaster at Hogg’s Hollow | jamiebradburnwriting.wordpress.comThe Hogg’s Hollow Disaster | unionsong.comBreaking Ground The Hogg's Hollow Memorial 40 th Anniversary Project | costi.orgHogg's Hollow Tragedy (1960) | Toronto Workers' History ProjectBASTA! NO MORE FEAR! Remembering the Hoggs…

Topics covered

  • construction disaster
  • labour laws
  • Italian immigrants
  • fire safety
  • historical events

Keywords

  • Hogg's Hollow
  • tunnel disaster
  • construction safety
  • labour rights
  • Toronto history

Mentioned in this episode

Places: Hogg's Hollow, Toronto

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