Emergency services rushed to the scene in downtown Prince George, British Columbia, as a powerful explosion jolted the area, causing injuries to multiple individuals on Tuesday morning.
The explosion originated inside an abandoned building located near the intersection of Fourth Avenue and Dominion Street, and it occurred at approximately 7 a.m., as reported by the Prince George RCMP detachment.
According to information provided by Northern Health to CTV News, two of the injured were transported to the hospital via ambulance, while a third was delivered to the hospital by a concerned member of the public. Fortunately, only one of the victims sustained serious injuries, as confirmed by a spokesperson from the health authority.
The explosion had devastating consequences, leading to a fire that engulfed the affected building. Firefighters valiantly battled the flames for several hours in their efforts to contain and extinguish the blaze.
In light of the ongoing emergency, RCMP Cpl. Jennifer Cooper emphasized that it was too early to determine whether the explosion was the result of suspicious activity or an unfortunate accident.
Compounding the situation, the local power supply, provided by Hydro, was shut down in the surrounding area and will remain disconnected for an unspecified duration, according to an official statement by Cooper.
Shortly after the incident, numerous videos depicting the fire and its aftermath began circulating on social media. In response, the RCMP has urged individuals who captured footage of the incident, including dashcam or surveillance recordings, to come forward and share their materials with investigators. Cooper emphasized, “Those videos could be very important to our investigation.”
In response to the emergency, authorities took the precautionary measure of cordoning off a square block encompassing the area between Third and Fourth avenues, extending from Dominion Street to Queensway. Both drivers and pedestrians were strongly advised to avoid this zone. As of now, it remains uncertain when the area will be deemed safe for reopening, as investigations and safety assessments continue.
The Achillion Restaurant in downtown Prince George #PrinceGeorgeBC pic.twitter.com/GsG2s0h2d9
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