Toronto fire officials ended the fun and moved to dismantle the large ice sculpture tied to Drake’s upcoming album rollout.
Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow is publicly supporting a decision by the city’s fire chief to dismantle Drake’s viral “Iceman” sculpture downtown, after it drew thousands of fans and raised concerns about “dangerous and unsafe activities.” Speaking to reporters on Wednesday ahead of a council meeting, Chow said she supports the actions of Fire Chief Jim Jessop after crews began dousing the sculpture near Yonge and Dundas streets in warm water overnight. The decision to dismantle the structure came after massive crowds flocked to the display in recent days, with some using tools, flames and flammable liquids to try to break it open.
Jessop had warned that open flames and flammable liquids in an uncontrolled environment cause an “immediate threat to life” and that crews would be “initiating measures” to mitigate the risk to public safety. At one point Tuesday, a fan used a sledgehammer on the block, while others spray-painted messages urging people to melt it faster. Police briefly pushed crowds back as the situation escalated, allowing people to return once additional officers arrived.