A Toronto city councillor says a "large amount of rags" is to blame for a blockage that caused a sewage spill in an east-end creek last week.

The spill in Taylor-Massey Creek led to dead fish in the water and unpleasant odours in residential neighbourhoods.

Coun. Parthi Kandavel, who represents Ward 20, Scarborough Southwest, said he was told by Toronto Water that the rags were found in a sanitary sewer near Hymus Road in the city's Clairlea-Birchmount neighbourhood. The road cuts through an industrial area in Scarborough.

The blocked sewer caused sewage to spill into the creek from a storm water outfall at Warden Avenue and St Clair Avenue E., according to the city and province, which were notified of the spill on Friday.

"Unfortunately, this was preventable. We need education around

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