King TTC worker remembered

All the wheels in the Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) system came to a halt for one minute Monday in honour of Antonio "Tony" Almeida.

The 38-year-old Pottageville area resident died early last Monday in a mishap in the tunnel of the Yonge Street subway line. The father of two, who had been on the job for five years, was part of an 11- member asbestos removal crew that was heading out of the tunnel at the end of their shift when a large piece of equipment on the lead car dislodged and struck him as he was driving at the front of the second car, killing him. Two other employees were injured.

The Stop and Stay observances in the TTC system was timed for just after Mr. Almeida's funeral mass in Toronto Monday, which was attended by a TTC honour guard.

"During Tony Almeida's five years at the TTC, he was clearly an exemplary employee by the many testaments of his peers and co-workers," read a statement issued monday by TTC. "Tony will be sadly missed by everyone who was associated with him at the TTC."

The Ministry of labour is investigating the incident.