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
One dead after potential wrong way crash on Highway 401 in Milton: OPP
One person is dead and another is in life-threatening condition after a driver was travelling in the wrong direction on Highway 401 in Milton Sunday, according to police.
Trudeau 'absolutely' best person to lead the Liberals in next election: LeBlanc insists
Cabinet minister Dominic LeBlanc insists he's not planning a leadership campaign to head the Liberal party, should current leader and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau resign, seemingly quashing rumours he's planning to make a move for his boss' job.
Montreal man on the hook for thousands of dollars after a feature on his Tesla caused an accident
A Montreal man is warning Tesla drivers about using the Smart Summon feature after his vehicle hit another in a parking lot.
No proof man lied to brother about number of kittens born in litter, B.C. tribunal rules
A man was denied a $5,000 payout from his brother after a B.C. tribunal dismissed his claim disputing how many kittens were born in a litter.
'The Fall Guy' gives Hollywood a muted summer kickoff with a US$28.5M opening
"The Fall Guy," the Ryan Gosling-led, action-comedy ode to stunt performers, opened below expectations with US$28.5 million, according to studio estimates Sunday, providing a lukewarm start to a summer movie season that's very much to be determined for Hollywood.
Madonna's biggest-ever concert transforms Rio's Copacabana beach into a massive dance floor
Madonna put on a free concert on Copacabana beach Saturday night, turning Rio de Janeiro's vast stretch of sand into an enormous dance floor teeming with a multitude of her fans.
William Shatner says he would consider 'Star Trek' return: 'Here comes Captain Kirk!'
The Montreal-born actor, famed for his portrayal of Captain Kirk in "Star Trek," says he is open to reprising the iconic role in the sci-fi franchise as long as the storytelling is stellar.
opinion You don't need to be an influencer to earn income from social media
How legitimate are claims by some content creators that the average person can earn passive income from social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram? Personal finance columnist Christopher Liew says it's quite possible, if you're willing to put in the initial time and effort.
Hamas says latest ceasefire talks have ended. Israel vows military operation in 'very near future'
The latest round of Gaza cease-fire talks ended in Cairo after "in-depth and serious discussions,"{ the Hamas militant group said Sunday, reiterating key demands that Israel again rejected.