Capreol fire, explosion sends three firefighters to hospital

Three firefighters have been sent to hospital following a fire and subsequent explosion in downtown Capreol Wednesday night. The three are listed in stable condition and the cause of the fire is still unclear.

A massive fire and subsequent explosion has rocked downtown Capreol and sent three firefighters to hospital.

The call about the apartment building in the 0-100 block of Young Street came in during the 7 o’clock hour. Firefighters were dispatched from all over Greater Sudbury’s valley communities and as far away as the downtown core.

“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.

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

Unfortunately, Lawrence said, partway through fighting the fire, there was a ‘smoke explosion’ that knocked three firefighters to the ground, injuring them.

“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.”