Explosions rock Happy Valley-Goose Bay as residents ordered to leave area threatened by fire | CBC News (2024)

CBC News

· Posted: Apr 19, 2024 9:20 PM EDT | Last Updated: April 20

Police inHappy Valley-Goose Bay, N.L.,have declared a state of emergency following "several explosions" at the site of an uncontrolled fire burningnear explosive material.

"Emergency services are on the scene of a large structure fire," aprovincialemergency alert warned late Friday. "There have been several explosions."

There are no reports of injuries from thefire that broke out on Friday evening atthe north end ofHappy Valley-Goose Bay nearabandoned buildings at the former airport.

Residents are beingasked to remain at least a kilometreaway from the area that extends from the end of the airport to the docks, as fire crews workto extinguish the blaze.

Area residents told to evacuate homes

"We are dealing with a fire emergency situation in our community," Mayor George Andrews said in a video posted to the town's Facebook page.

Andrews said several buildings have been affected by the fire.He urged residents onthe north side to immediately evacuate but added there is no need for concern for residents in the Spruce Park area of town. Anyone requiring evacuation assistance cancall 709-896-3084.

The RCMP saidthe following streets are directly impacted:

• Halifax Street
• Toronto Street
• Winnipeg Street
• Ottawa Avenue
• London Street

WATCH | Residents witness fire before area closed off:

"In the interest of public safety, homeowners are strongly encouraged not to attend their properties at this time," the RCMP said in a statement late Friday.

In a statement posted on X, formerly Twitter, N.L. Premier Andrew Furey said he has spoken with MHAPerry Trimper and offered full support toAndrews.

"We will be there to help in any way we can," the premier said.

The scramble to get out

Monica Leggetold CBCNews she was watching the fire from her back deckwith her husbandwhen RCMParrived at their home and told them they had to evacuate.

She said they scrambled to gather some belongings andtheir six dogs,and to alert other people who lived with them.

"We made sure that they were in their vehicles and on their way and gone before we left," Leggesaid.

She notedthat before she left,she also rushed to alert neighbours thatthey had to leave because she was concernedthe RCMP officers who told her to evacuate hadn't gone to other homes in the area.She said the area is zoned as a commercial, but that there are a number ofresidences as well.

Lake says she's concerned about the fate of her home now after hearing a very large bang come from the area.

"It's going to be a very, very long night," shesaid. "I'm just on pins and needles worrying about everything."

SPCAhad to relocate animals

The Happy Valley-Goose BaySPCA is alsolocated in the vicinity. Bonnie Learning, the organization'svice-president, told CBC Newsthe situation was manageable because the shelter wasn't full.

"All of our animals, right now, are sorted out," Learning said. "We'll just have to play it by ear in regard to the situation, in terms of getting back into the shelter."

WATCH |Uncontrolled fire in Happy Valley-Goose Bay, N.L., sparks severalexplosions:

She hopes that will be in the next 24 to 48 hours, but said they have places for the animals to stay should it take longer.

"We're confident that things will be OK and please be to God everyone will be safe and all the first responders on site will be safe and nothing really crazy or catastrophic is going to happen."

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