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
B.C. seeks ban on public drug use, dialing back decriminalization
The B.C. NDP has asked the federal government to recriminalize public drug use, marking a major shift in the province's approach to addressing the deadly overdose crisis.
More than 115 cases of eye damage reported in Ontario after solar eclipse
More than 115 people who viewed the solar eclipse in Ontario earlier this month experienced eye damage after the event, according to eye doctors in the province.
Orca calf that was trapped in B.C. lagoon for weeks swims free
An orca whale calf that has been stranded in a B.C. lagoon for weeks after her pregnant mother died swam out on her own early Friday morning.
Last letters of pioneering climber who died on Everest reveal dark side of mountaineering
George Mallory is renowned for being one of the first British mountaineers to attempt to scale the dizzying heights of Mount Everest during the 1920s. Nearly a century later, newly digitized letters shed light on Mallory’s hopes and fears about ascending Everest.
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau on navigating post-political life, co-parenting and freedom
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau says there is 'still so much love' between her and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, as they navigate their post-separation relationship co-parenting their three children.
'I was scared': Ontario man's car repossessed after missing two repair loan payments
An Ontario man who took out a loan to pay for auto repairs said his car was repossessed after he missed two payments.
Trump's lawyers try to discredit testimony of prosecution's first witness in hush money trial
Donald Trump's defence team attacked the credibility Friday of the prosecution's first witness in his hush money case, seeking to discredit testimony detailing a scheme between Trump and a tabloid to bury negative stories to protect the Republican's 2016 presidential campaign.
U.S. flight attendant indicted in attempt to record teen girl in airplane bathroom
An American Airlines flight attendant was indicted Thursday after authorities said he tried to secretly record video of a 14-year-old girl using an airplane bathroom last September.
Powerful tornado tears across Nebraska, weather service warns of 'catastrophic' damage
Devastating tornadoes tore across parts of eastern Nebraska and northeast Texas Friday as a multi-day severe thunderstorm event ramped up in the central United States.