Sudbury family startled after bear breaks into home

A Sudbury family had an early morning scare last week when a bear pushed its way into their home and came face-to-face with a member of the family.

A Sudbury family had an early-morning scare when a bear entered their home, leading to a frantic escape.

The incident occurred around 3 a.m. on Thursday, at a residence on Raft Lake Road in Greater Sudbury’s south end.

According to emails sent to CTV News from Dave and Jo-Ann Narozanski, the bear pushed through a door into their porch.

‘A scary few minutes’

Their son, Nick Narozanski, came face-to-face with the animal when he went outside. After Nick yelled to his parent that there was a bear in the house, he opened the door from the outside to let it out, then ran as the bear fled in the opposite direction.

“Wow, it was a scary few minutes,” Jo-Ann said.

The family reported only minor damage to the home – including damage to the door frame and items pulled off shelves and broken.

“We will be making sure that door is secured well from now on,” Jo-Ann added.

The family reported no injuries as a result of the incident.

Local bear sightings

The City of Greater Sudbury keeps track of bear sightings on an interactive map that relies on residents to report sightings.

As of Sunday, there were four sightings in the last week and 29 total bear sightings in April this year.

“Bears are attracted to food sources, so it’s important to secure garbage, pet food and bird feeders, especially in spring when they’re coming out of hibernation,” the Ministry of Natural Resources said on its ‘Be Bear Wise’ website.

The city provides tips for how to keep wildlife away from garbage, recycling and green carts on its website.

Authorities advise calling 911 if a bear poses an immediate threat or the Bear Wise line at 1-866-514-2327 for non-emergency situations.