Drone footage shows moment apartment building explodes, collapses in Greater Sudbury

Sudbury detectives are working with the Ontario Fire Marshal's office to determine the cause of a massive apartment building fire and smoke explosion that sent three firefighters to hospital Wednesday night.

Drone view of Capreol apartment fire right after a smoke explosion and the front of the building collapsed. Jan. 25/24 (Nick Lavoie)

The emergency call about a fire at a Young Street apartment building in the Capreol area of Greater Sudbury came in around 7:45 p.m., Sudbury police said in a news release.

Firefighters were dispatched from all over Greater Sudbury’s valley communities and as far away as the downtown core.

Officers were called to help control the scene as firefighters worked to control the blaze.

"The first arriving crews noted that there was a lot of smoke and flames showing from the structure," said assistant deputy fire chief Craig Lawrence at the scene.

"They quickly accounted for all five residents of the building and evacuated them and evacuated the tenants next door from the building."

Sudbury police said while crews were attempting to clear the building and put the fire out, the building collapsed and injured the three volunteer firefighters, knocking them to the ground.

"The firefighters were applying water from the front of the building," said Lawrence.

"There was what appeared to be a 'smoke explosion' and that’s what knocked the façade off the front of the building, injuring the three."

Smoke billows out of a Capreol apartment building as firefighters contain the blaze. Jan. 24/24 (CTV Northern Ontario)

The injured firefighters were taken to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

Greater Sudbury firefighters battle a Capreol apartment building engulfed in flames on Wednesday night. Jan. 24/24 (CTV Northern Ontario)

None of the tenants have reported any injuries as a result of the fire.

After the collapse, debris from the building and the blast were strewn all over the road.

Aftermath of apartment building fire in the Capreol area of Greater Sudbury. Jan. 24/24 (T. Cox)

The cause is still unclear at this time.

"Detectives in the major crime section of our criminal investigation division are working in collaboration with the Ontario Fire Marshal’s Office to determine the cause of the fire," Sudbury police said. 

"Detectives are also working in collaboration with the Ministry of Labour due to the injuries sustained by the three volunteer firefighters."

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Anyone with information about the incident is asked to call police at 705-675-9171 or Crime Stoppers at 705-222-8477.

Several neighbours and residents of Capreol were online Wednesday night asking what they could do for the displaced and are said to be gathering donations.

View of Capreol apartment building fire from down the street. Jan. 24/24

Apartment building fire in the Capreol area of Greater Sudbury. Jan. 24/24

Apartment building fire in the Capreol area of Greater Sudbury. Jan. 24/24 (T. Cox)

Apartment building fire on Young Street in Capreol Jan. 24/24