Explosion at Vancouver Island military base injures 10
At least 10 people were injured after an explosion rocked a Vancouver Island military base Thursday.
The explosion at Canadian Forces Base Comox shook the nearby civilian airport and rattled windows as far as a kilometre away.
"Our focus right now is on assisting our injured personnel," Lt.-Col. Mike Juillet told reporters at the base Thursday.
BC Emergency Health Services says multiple ambulances, including an air ambulance, responded to the base.
As of early Thursday afternoon, 10 people were treated by paramedics, including one person who was airlifted to hospital in serious condition.
Three patients were taken to hospital by ambulance in stable condition, and six more were treated by military base medics.
Emergency crews are on scene near where a building that was under renovations appears to have partially collapsed. (CTV News)
The explosion occurred inside a historic barracks building that was under renovation and has partially collapsed in the blast.
It is believed the explosion was fuelled by natural gas, but Juillet said the cause had not yet been confirmed.
'SMOKE AND DEBRIS FLYING EVERYWHERE'
Brenda Cardinal was exercising in the base recreation centre around 9 a.m. when the building shook with the force of the explosion.
"It actually shook the treadmill," said the retired sergeant. "And then we came out and you could see right across there was a lot of smoke happening."
Emergency crews are on scene near where a building that was under renovations appears to have partially collapsed. (CTV News)
Another witness who was inside the Comox Valley Airport terminal tells CTV News the blast flung debris and shook pictures off the walls.
"I heard an explosion and it rattled the building and I turned and looked and saw a huge plume of smoke and debris flying everywhere," said Don Catling, who was servicing equipment inside the airport at the time.
David Little, who lives approximately one kilometre from the base, said he heard two sharp blasts in close succession around 9 a.m.
"It shook the house, shook the windows," Little said. "We came down to have a look and make sure everyone is all right."
No aircraft were damaged in the blast, and flight operations were unaffected, according to base staff.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Indian envoy warns of 'big red line,' days after charges laid in Nijjar case
India's envoy to Canada insists relations between the two countries are positive overall, despite what he describes as 'a lot of noise.'
Stormy Daniels describes meeting Trump during occasionally graphic testimony in hush money trial
With Donald Trump sitting just feet away, Stormy Daniels testified Tuesday at the former president's hush money trial about a sexual encounter the porn actor says they had in 2006 that resulted in her being paid to keep silent during the presidential race 10 years later.
U.S. paused bomb shipment to Israel to signal concerns over Rafah invasion, official says
The U.S. paused a shipment of bombs to Israel last week over concerns that Israel was approaching a decision on launching a full-scale assault on the southern Gaza city of Rafah against the wishes of the U.S.
Former homicide detective explains how police will investigate shooting outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion
Footage from dozens of security cameras in the area of Drake’s Bridle Path mansion could be the key to identifying the suspect responsible for shooting and seriously injuring a security guard outside the rapper’s sprawling home early Tuesday morning, a former Toronto homicide detective says.
Northern Ont. woman makes 'eggstraordinary' find
A chicken farmer near Mattawa made an 'eggstraordinary' find Friday morning when she discovered one of her hens laid an egg close to three times the size of an average large chicken egg.
Susan Buckner, who played spirited cheerleader Patty Simcox in 'Grease,' dead at 72
Susan Buckner, best known for playing peppy Rydell High School cheerleader Patty Simcox in the 1978 classic movie musical 'Grease,' has died. She was 72.
Jeremy Skibicki has 'uphill battle' to prove he's not criminally responsible in Winnipeg killings: legal analysts
Accused killer Jeremy Skibicki could have a challenging time convincing a judge that he is not criminally responsible for the deaths of four Indigenous women, a legal analyst says.
Bye-bye bag fee: Calgary repeals single-use bylaw
A Calgary bylaw requiring businesses to charge a minimum bag fee and only provide single-use items when requested has officially been tossed.
Alcohol believed to be a factor in boating incident after 2 men die: N.S. RCMP
Two Nova Scotia men are dead after a boat they were travelling in sank in the Annapolis River in Granville Centre, N.S., on Monday.