Explosion sparks massive fire in southern Ontario city of Barrie

[WaterlooInvestor]

Explosion sparks massive fire in southern Ontario city of Barrie
Last Updated: Friday, December 7, 2007 | 6:37 PM ET
CBC News
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/toronto/sto...rrie-fire.html


Fire rips through buildings in downtown Barrie early Friday morning. (CBC)

A huge fire triggered by an explosion at a restaurant gutted at least three buildings on Friday in the downtown core of the southern Ontario city of Barrie, police said.

The blaze appears to have started around midnight with an explosion in a restaurant and quickly spread to neighbouring businesses on the main street, Barrie police Const. Ron Hunt said.

"All we know thus far is there was an explosion," Hunt told CBCNews.ca.

More than 100 firefighters, including crews from neighbouring areas, battled to contain the fire, Hunt said.

The main blaze was extinguished by about 5:30 a.m. ET but firefighters were kept busy dousing hot spots, the Canadian Press reported.

The initial explosion was so powerful that it sent the restaurant's door flying across the street and blew out the windows.

So far, no injuries or deaths have been reported and there is no indication of anyone missing.

Matt Barry, a bartender at a local pub, said he heard the explosion and watched as flames spread.

"Within an hour, the whole building was on fire and the roof had caved in," said Barry. "By that point, it was just an inferno."

[Windex]

While it's good that no one is hurt, it's still really a shame. Here's hoping they don't just clear out the building that was destroyed and leave an empty lot.

[WaterlooInvestor]

Blast, fire devastate Barrie core
December 08, 2007
The Canadian Press - BARRIE


This looks more like a war zone than downtown Barrie, but this was the scene yesterday at Bayfield and Dunlop streets after an explosion and fire that displaced as many as 50 people.

An explosion and fire reduced a historic downtown corner in Barrie and its buildings to rubble yesterday.

The blast, at the Royal Thai Cuisine restaurant, resulted in a blaze that left only piles of smoking bricks and timber.

"It just shook. It felt like an earthquake,'' said Matt Gilbert, who lives next to the building and was sleeping when he heard what he described as "a very loud boom.''

"We ran out and they wouldn't let us back in,'' said Gilbert.

"It blew the front door (of the restaurant) right out onto the street. There were chairs out on the street and everything. This is just insane.''

Vanly Keov, owner of Royal Thai Cuisine, said his staff left the restaurant just after 10 p.m. Thursday night. The blast took place between 11 and 11:30 p.m., firefighters said.

"I feel very bad. I have no idea what I am going to do,'' said Keov, 44.

"The most important thing is nobody was hurt.''

Keov said he has insurance for his business, and he had been in touch with the company yesterday morning. The restaurant, which has been downtown since the late 1980s, employed six people on a full-time basis and three part-timers. The building itself dated back to 1877.

Firefighters and equipment from Innisfil and New Tecumseth, as well as the townships of Essa, Springwater and Oro-Medonte, helped both at the fire scene and to cover the city in case of another emergency.

City police Sgt. Dave Goodbrand said a total of eight apartments above the stores, with between 12 and 20 occupants, were evacuated. Officials said up to 50 people from the affected buildings and nearby structures may have been displaced.

There was no indication of foul play, he said.