Toronto police warn about dangers of Scarborough Bluffs

Toronto police want to make peoplemore aware of the dangers of the Scarborough Bluffsafter three young women were rescued on Monday.

Sgt. Lou Gibb of Toronto Police's 41 Division told CBC News that people who ignore thewarning signs posted at the top of the Bluffs do not realize that the cliffs on the other side of the fenceare unstable.

"The dangers are very, very real. When you step over that fence, where it says do not step over that fence, at any given time, these cliffs could fall away," he said.

• Hikers rescued from Scarborough Bluffs in sweltering heat

"Yesterday's rescue was a three-hour mission, to rescue threeyoung girls who went along a path they shouldn't have been on to begin with. It was a deer path. Those are four-legged deer that are going through there. It's not for two legged humans to walk along the edge of the cliff."

Thirtyfirefighters were involved in the rescue on Monday near RosettaMcClainGardens atKingston Road and Glen Everest Road.

Gibb said people who ignore the signs, stationed at the edge ofScarborough Bluffs Park,may not realize when they need to be rescued that they are endangering the lives of the firefighterswho use ropes to lower themselves down, as well as thefirefighters who hold thoseropes.

Signs posted by the citysay the maximum fine fortrespassingonthe Bluffs is $5,000.

Gibb said police have already met with city staff and plan to meet with Toronto Transit Commission officials to discuss the problem of people climbing over the fence at Scarborough Bluffs Parkand down the cliffsto get to the beach.

There is no access to the lake from the ScarboroughBluffs Park.

Gibb said there could be better signageat the top of the Bluffs, letting park visitors know that they need go to Brimley and Kingston Roadsto enter Bluffer's Park.

"These are mountains. These are not little backyard hills. These are cliffs that can give away at any given time," Gibb said.

"We need a sign that says you cannot get down to the beach from this location," he said.

City staff say the cityis hoping to install more warning signs in Scarborough Bluffs Parkand isreviewing the current barriers that are in place, with a view toenhancing them.

On Monday, the Toronto Fire Service saidthe three young women were walking down a trail for about 40 minutes when they detoured onto another trail and got stuck.

Fire crews tracked down the hikers using camera images from a helicopter and cell phone signals. One of the three also had a whistle.

None of the three were seriouslyinjured, but with a heat warning in effect, one of the hikers reported feeling dehydrated and anothersuffered an allergic reaction.