Fatal fire in Sudbury's Donovan neighbourhood deemed suspicious
Sudbury fire officials say police and the fire marshal have been called in to investigate a suspicious fire where one person was found dead.
It happened around 1 a.m. Tuesday at a four-unit apartment complex on Antwerp Avenue in Sudbury's Donovan neighbourhood.
Crews from five fire stations were called to the scene and as they arrived, the front of the building was heavily engulfed in flames, deputy fire chief Jesse Oshell told CTV News.
He said heavy smoke and flames hampered search efforts when firefighters started the initial attack on the fire.
"While crews were performing their search and getting the fire under control the fire escalated to a point where we had to withdraw from the building," OShell said. "We were only able to perform a small search, we weren't able to complete it. We were unable to confirm that all residents were out of all of the units."
He said firefighters worked quickly to get water on the blaze and when it was safe to resume the search, one person was found deceased inside one of the units.
"At this time, we do not have a confirmed identity of the deceased person. We are working in collaboration with the coroner's office and the Ontario Fire Marshal. The investigation into this incident is ongoing," Sudbury police said in a news release.
Five other tenants were able to evacuate to safety and will be taken care of by family or alternate accommodations will be arranged by the building's owner, Oshell said. All pets were safely evacuated.
No word on the cause of the fire.
Paige Dénommé lives nearby. She told CTV News she was woken up by sirens and radio chatter from the fire trucks around 1:10 a.m.
Dénommé said she gave a pair of shoes to a woman who was walking down the street barefoot with a dog while crying and saying she lost everything in the fire.
"There was information given to fire services upon arrival and while performing our duties that led us to believe that this may be a suspicious fire and with that information we certainly passed that along to our partners at Greater Sudbury Police Services for investigation," Oshell said. " The investigation will be turned over to Greater Sudbury Police Service and Ontario Fire Marshal. City of Greater Sudbury Fire Services crews remain on scene and out thoughts with those affected by this tragic loss."
The estimated damage is around $750,000 including contents, Oshell said.
Officers remain at the scene and detectives will be canvassing the area for information and video surveillance footage, Sudbury police said.
Police are asking anyone with information about the fatal fire or circumstances leading up to it to contact them.
"Anyone who was seen in the area, any suspicious activity, vehicles, persons anything that will help us determine what caused this fire or how it started," said Kaitlyn Dunn of the Greater Sudbury Police Service.
Police said anyone with information about the incident is asked to call 705-675-9171 or Crime Stoppers at 705-222-8477.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Quebec nurse had to clean up after husband's death in Montreal hospital
On a night she should have been mourning, a nurse from Quebec's Laurentians region says she was forced to clean up her husband after he died at a hospital in Montreal.
Cuban government apologizes to Montreal-area family after delivering wrong body
Cuba's foreign affairs minister has apologized to a Montreal-area family after they were sent the wrong body following the death of a loved one.
What is changing about Canada's capital gains tax and how does it impact me?
The federal government's proposed change to capital gains taxation is expected to increase taxes on investments and mainly affect wealthy Canadians and businesses. Here's what you need to know about the move.
'Anything to win': Trudeau says as Poilievre defends meeting protesters
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is accusing Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre of welcoming 'the support of conspiracy theorists and extremists,' after the Conservative leader was photographed meeting with protesters, which his office has defended.
Northern Ont. lawyer who abandoned clients in child protection cases disbarred
A North Bay, Ont., lawyer who abandoned 15 clients – many of them child protection cases – has lost his licence to practise law.
'One of the single most terrifying things ever': Ontario couple among passengers on sinking tour boat in Dominican Republic
A Toronto couple are speaking out about their 'extremely dangerous' experience on board a sinking tour boat in the Dominican Republic last week.
Boeing's financial woes continue, while families of crash victims urge U.S. to prosecute the company
Boeing said Wednesday that it lost US$355 million on falling revenue in the first quarter, another sign of the crisis gripping the aircraft manufacturer as it faces increasing scrutiny over the safety of its planes and accusations of shoddy work from a growing number of whistleblowers.
Bank of Canada officials split on when to start cutting interest rates
Members of the Bank of Canada's governing council were split on how long the central bank should wait before it starts cutting interest rates when they met earlier this month.
Fair in Ontario, flurries in Labrador: Weather systems make for an erratic spring
It's no secret that spring can be a tumultuous time for Canadian weather, and as an unseasonably mild El Nino winter gives way to summer, there's bound to be a few swings in temperature that seem out of the ordinary. From Ontario to the Atlantic, though, this week is about to feel a little erratic.