Toronto Police Service (TPS) officers have arrested a 29-year-old man following an explosion at a marijuana dispensary in Forest Hill in late August. However, residents and the local councillor remain concerned over the safety of other dispensaries in the area.

On Aug. 24, the 29-year-old from the Niagara region was arrested and charged with one count of mischief endangering life, arson with disregard for human life and four other drug trafficking–related offences.

The explosion occurred on Aug. 19 around 7:30 p.m., at local dispensary Tweeder, at 353 Eglinton Ave. W. The explosion shattered the glass window at the front of the store, showering the sidewalk and roadway with shards of glass.

The accused was inside the premises during the explosion and suffered severe burns to his face and arms. TPS’s chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear and explosion response team (CBRNE) conducted an emergency assessment of the scene, assisted by Toronto Fire Services.

Local councillor Josh Matlow said he hopes the business will be held accountable. 

“What Tweeder did was not only illegal, but it risked the safety of community members,” he said. 

According to TPS, the dispensary had already been raided by police in May and had reopened.

Local resident Olga Fowell and Matlow both claim the shop had been masquerading as a legal store since it was raided, advertising pot paraphernalia but not drugs. 

Fowell has been concerned over the influx of illegal dispensaries in the area. She said her fears for the safety of her children and other residents that live or shop in the area have been exacerbated since the explosion.

The investigation being conducted by the Ontario Fire Marshal’s Office and members from TPS 53 Division is ongoing. 

Post City attempted to reach representatives from Tweeder, but the dispensary’s email had been disabled and the phone line disconnected.