Explosion at Superior Propane in south end of Barrie, Ont., forces evacuation
Emergency crews evacuated an area in the south end of Barrie, Ont., around 2 p.m. Friday to deal with explosions and a fire at a propane facility.
Barrie Fire was called to Bayview Drive, south of Mapleview Drive and east of Highway 400, as flames and dense, black smoke filled the air above Superior Propane on Bayview Drive.
"The main concern at the time was the report of two large, 30,000-gallon propane tanks with flame impingement," said Barrie Deputy Fire Chief Ed Davis.
Davis said the emergency shut-off was hit "almost immediately," which prevented any further propane from going into the filling station inside the building.
Police immediately evacuated a one-kilometre radius in all directions in the area of Lockhart Road and Bayview Drive as a precaution.
Residents reported hearing a loud explosion followed closely by sirens from emergency crews.
"It sounded like a bomb," said Traci Dixon, who was in the Walmart parking lot at the time, just north of Superior Propane.
Davis said the explosions were likely from smaller barbecue-sized propane tanks and not the larger, more dangerous tanks.
"There was some discolouration on the tanks. Some paint flaking, but there wasn't enough heat to generate an explosion on those tanks at that time," the deputy fire chief said. "That's why it was important to put a large volume of water on those tanks."
Davis said crews managed to get enough water to cool the tanks quickly to avoid disaster. "When they explode, they do go off like missiles."
By around 3 p.m., officials said the fire was under control. Still, Davis said police would continue to hold the area until crews were "satisfied" there wouldn't be any further incidents.
Two Barrie Transit buses were called in to help evacuate those in the area.
No one was injured.
The Ontario Fire Marshal's office has assigned investigators to work with local authorities to determine the cause of the fire.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Monthly earnings rise, payroll employment falls: jobs report
The number of vacant jobs in Canada increased in February, while monthly payroll employment decreased in food services, manufacturing, and retail trade, among other sectors.
Doctors say capital gains tax changes will jeopardize their retirement. Is that true?
The Canadian Medical Association asserts the Liberals' proposed changes to capital gains taxation will put doctors' retirement savings in jeopardy, but some financial experts insist incorporated professionals are not as doomed as they say they are.
Remains from a mother-daughter cold case were found nearly 24 years later, after a deathbed confession from the suspect
A West Virginia father is getting some sense of closure after authorities found the remains of his young daughter and her mother following a deathbed confession from the man believed to have fatally shot them nearly two decades ago.
Something in the water? Canadian family latest to spot elusive 'Loch Ness Monster'
For centuries, people have wondered what, if anything, might be lurking beneath the surface of Loch Ness in Scotland. When Canadian couple Parry Malm and Shannon Wiseman visited the Scottish highlands earlier this month with their two children, they didn’t expect to become part of the mystery.
What do weight loss drugs mean for a diet industry built on eating less and exercising more?
Recent injected drugs like Wegovy and its predecessor, the diabetes medication Ozempic, are reshaping the health and fitness industries.
2 military horses that broke free and ran loose across London are in serious condition
Two military horses that bolted and ran miles through the streets of London after being spooked by construction noise and tossing their riders were in a serious condition and required operations, a British government official said Thursday.
'It was instant karma': Viral video captures failed theft attempt in Nanaimo, B.C.
Mounties in Nanaimo, B.C., say two late-night revellers are lucky their allegedly drunken antics weren't reported to police after security cameras captured the men trying to steal a heavy sign from a downtown business.
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.
He replaced Mickey Mantle. Now baseball's oldest living major leaguer is turning 100
The oldest living former major leaguer, Art Schallock turns 100 on Thursday and is being celebrated in the Bay Area and beyond as the milestone approaches.