Source of fire at former New Sudbury Rona building discovered

Fire at site of former Rona home improvement store in New Sudbury November 11, 2019 (Molly Frommer/CTV Northern Ontario)

Update:

SUDBURY -- Fire crews in Sudbury received a call at approximately 8 a.m. for a possible structure fire. The fire originated in a building behind the old Rona.

It took four fire stations and around 20 fire fighters to extinguish the blaze.

Fire officials say they were able to contain the fire to the storage shed in the back of the former Rona building.

Jesse Oshell is the acting deputy fire chief for Greater Sudbury Fire Services.

"When our first unit arrived from the New Sudbury fire station, as it traveled down Lasalle Boulevard, it could see the smoke coming from the facility, and so we added additional units. We were able to get crews there extremely quickly and they were able to start firefighting efforts right away," said Oshell.

At first fire officials were unsure of the cause, but once the crews were able to get into the facility, they discovered a different source.

"There was evidence that there were transients or individuals that may be using the facility to get out of the weather or to stay in, and so it was around those areas that we were able to determine that the probable cause of the fire was going to be," said Oshell.

The acting deputy fire chief says the building is a loss and will need to be demolished.

He says the information has been turned over to the Ontario Fire Marshal's office and the Greater Sudbury Police Service. 

Original:

SUDBURY -- Sudbury police have closed a major road in the New Sudbury area Monday morning as crews battle a fire at the site of a former home improvement store.

The fire originated in a building behind the old Rona on Barrydowne Road, forcing the closure of the busy street between the New Sudbury Centre and Hawthorne.

Sudbury's Acting Deputy Fire Chief Jesse Oshell says the road had to be closed for fire hydrant access.

Oshell says the fire is under control.

Police are asking people to avoid the area to allow crews to work and that the road is expected to remain closed until at least noon.

The site of the former home improvement store has been vacant since earlier this year.

Fire officials say the fire is being treated as suspicious and an investigation is underway.