Old Sudbury hospital sustains substantial damage in ‘suspicious’ fire

The old Sudbury hospital is making headlines for a second time this week and the mayor said his patience for the derelict building ran out some time ago.

Detectives from Sudbury police’s major crime section are working with the Ontario Fire Marshal’s Office to investigate a ‘suspicious’ fire at the old general hospital Wednesday night.

Officers provided traffic control on the busy thoroughfare while firefighters worked to extinguish the fire.

The road between McNaughton and York was briefly closed.

The building, which bears the world’s largest mural, suffered substantial damage as a result of the fire.

No injuries were reported and the fire was under control before midnight, deputy fire chief Jesse Oshell told CTVNewsNorthernOntario.ca in a text message.

Vacant for 15 years

Vacant since 2010, it is owned by Panoramic Properties, which has plans for a large residential development involving a retirement home, apartments and condominiums.

The company received the rezoning it needed for the project in November and said it hoped to have shovels in the ground within the next five years.

Man found dead inside

Last weekend, the body of a 24-year-old man was found at the former St. Joseph’s hospital.

An autopsy is being conducted to determine the cause of death, but no foul play is suspected, police spokesperson Kaitlyn Dunn said.

As the investigation continues into the fire, anyone with information about the incident is asked to contact police at 705-675-9171 or Crime Stoppers at 705-222-8477.

Demonstrates derelict building hazards

Sudbury Mayor Paul Lefebvre issued a statement about the fire Thursday afternoon.

“Last night’s fire at the old St. Joseph’s hospital demonstrates the hazard posed by derelict buildings to residents and surrounding property,” Lefebvre said.

“The ongoing risk to public safety is unacceptable, and this latest incident has made it even clearer. My patience ran out some time ago, as has the patience of the citizens of Greater Sudbury.”

He also said the city has been working with the owner for months to review and advance the proposed redevelopment plans for the site.

“But following the timelines and regular course of business for a typical development project is no longer satisfactory for this site,” the mayor said.

“The owner of the property and I spoke this morning, and we agree that immediate, urgent action must be taken to bring down the old building and to bring the site to an acceptably safe and secure condition.”

He stated both Panoramic Properties and the city are committed to speeding up demolition and expediting the redevelopment project’s timeline.

“I think we’re all frustrated, right,”Lefebvre said.

“These things take time. Engineers, architects, lawyers all get involved, right, to move this file forward. There’s been ongoing talk, very productive talks, with our staff to move the demolition forward.”

He said while the building has been derelict for awile, the owner has been meeting his legal obligations for the property.

“We need to follow the process that we are obligated to follow ... but now, after what has happened in the last few weeks in that building, ... everybody was tired and very disappointed of where it was ... transpiring,” Lefebvre said.

“When I started yesterday, my conversations with the owner, we know that this will be precipitated on the top of their agenda. So we’re looking forward to receiving their application for the ... demolition permit imminently.”