Sudbury home and a garage destroyed in 2 separate fires, at least one family displaced

Two fires have been reported in the Greater Sudbury community of Hanmer on Saturday morning.

Sudbury fire crews were called to the scene of a residential fire in the area of Park Avenue and Tilly Street in the community of Hanmer in the early morning hours.

Speaking with CTV News Northern Ontario's Amanda Hicks on Saturday afternoon, Greater Sudbury deputy fire chief Jesse Oshell said that officials can now confirm that no one was home at the time of the fire and no injuries have been reported.

During a telephone interview earlier in the Oshell told CTV News that fire services received the call at about 3:50 a.m.

Sudbury firefighter crews were called to a residential fire in the area of Park Avenue and Tilly Street in the community of Hanmer early Saturday morning. (Supplied/Viewer Photo)Oshell said the fire on Park Avenue is being treated as suspicious and the Office of the Fire Marshal has been called in to investigate.

"Certainly that is very suspicious on its own," he said.

"You do not see home, an explosion and there has to be mitigating circumstances for that. When our crews arrived, the home was completely engulfed, what was left of it."

Oshell described the damage from the explosion as "extensive."

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Fire officials said the single-family home is completely destroyed, with an estimated $250,000 to $300,000 damage to the residence.

A home in the Greater Sudbury community of Hanmer has been completely destroyed following a suspicious early morning fire on Dec. 23/23. (Amanda Hicks/CTV News Northern Ontario)Oshell said the home collapsed in on itself.

The neighbouring homes on both sides were also damaged in the fire – one “severely” said Oshell. A family in one of the neighbouring residences has been displaced as a result. 

A suspicious early more fire damaged a neighbouring residence (left) resulting in the family being displaced. (Amanda Hicks/CTV News Northern Ontario)“Sudbury Fire Services, EMS (emergency medical services) and police are on scene in the area of Park Avenue and Tilly Street,” said the Greater Sudbury Police Service, on ‘X’ formerly Twitter, shortly after 4 a.m.

“Emergency services are requesting the public to remain away from the area as the fire department battles with a house fire.”

Multiple firefighter crews were on the scene of a house fire in Hanmer early Saturday morning. (Supplied/Greater Sudbury Fire Services)Oshell confirmed several fire crews were on the scene in his own tweet at about 5:45 a.m.

“Crews from City of Greater Sudbury Fire Services are remaining on the scene and Sudbury police are attending reports of explosions,” said Oshell just after 7:30 a.m.

“Fire is under control at this time.”

The Sudbury Professional Fire Fighters’ social media page described the blaze as a structural fire and also requested the public avoid the area.

Sudbury fire crews were called to the scene of a residential fire in the area of Park Avenue and Tilly Street in the community of Hanmer in the early morning hours. (Supplied/Sudbury Professional Fire Fighters)

A SECOND FIRE IN THE SAME NEIGHBOURHOOD

Shortly after 10:30 a.m., Oshell said there was a second fire in Hanmer.

A second fire was reported on Greta Street in Hanmer later Saturday morning. (Supplied/Greater Sudbury Fire Services)“Fire services (were) quick to respond from the early incident,” he said.

The second fire occurred on Greta Street, only a few blocks away from the first fire incident.

"Just very coincidental that they occurred when they did and that we were available – which allowed us to ensure that when we responded to the second fire... our crews were able to get water application really quickly," said Oshell.

"Which protected the home, the surrounding homes and garages so the fire didn’t spread."

Fire officials said that the second fire is not considered suspicious and no injuries have been reported as a result.

Oshell said the Greta Street homeowner was working in his detached garage when the fire started and the fire was mostly contained to that structure – adding the garage is likely a complete loss.

“(Garage) fire is out and crews are overhauling the structure,” he said in a tweet just before 12:30 p.m.

Fire crews were preparing to leave the scene of a fire that destroyed a garage on Greta Street in the Greater Sudbury community of Hanmer just before 2 p.m. on Dec. 23/23. (Amanda Hicks/CTV News Northern Ontario)

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Check back to CTVNewsNorthernOntario.ca for updates on this story as they become available.

Sudbury fire crews were called to the scene of a residential fire in the area of Park Avenue and Tilly Street in the community of Hanmer in the early morning hours. (Supplied/Sudbury Professional Fire Fighters)

– With files from CTV News Northern Ontario videojournalist Amanda Hicks