One injured, approximately 300 displaced by apartment explosion

Sarnia, Ont. –

Brad Calver was just heading to bed in his fourth floor apartment around 9:30 p.m. Sunday when he both heard and felt the blast, “That was pretty bad. You could feel the percussion from the blast.”

Calver says everyone who lives in units on the east side of the building at 475 Finch Dr. ran to their balconies to see what was going on.

He realized he knew the people who lived inside the damaged unit. He went to check on them, speaking to the most seriously injured man.

“He was talking to me. You could tell his hearing was still a little affected. He still had shock from the blast.”

Sarnia police Const. John Sottosanti says one person was taken to hospital, “A male, 47 years of age, was taken to hospital locally. That same evening he was taken to London due to the extent of his injuries.”

Calver isn’t surprised, based on what he witnessed. “His shirt was all charred. You could tell he was burnt severely from it.”

Calver says the man’s girlfriend, her mother, her teenage son and a three-week-old baby also lived in the unit. There were no reports of any other serious injuries.

Sottosanti says emergency responders immediately began evacuating the seven-storey building, which has an estimated 300 residents.

“We do know it happened on a first floor apartment, but we don’t know to what extent and if it’s in an area where it’s major support system for the building obviously there’s great concern.”

Residents were asked to congregate a parking lot at the north end of the Lambton College property, just a few blocks away from where the blast occurred. The City of Sarnia Emergency Management Team wanted to ensure everyone was accounted for and had a place to stay.

Some reported that they were able to stay with family or friends, others were supplied beds inside the college, including Calver.

“I didn’t get my keys. I didn’t get my personal affects. So, know I’m just kind of sitting here, stranded, trying to figure out where we’re going.”

One displaced resident said she was told she could be out of her apartment for two to three days, but late Monday afternoon the all-clear was given.

The area around 275 Finch Dr. in Sarnia, Ont. is taped off on Monday, Dec. 12, 2022. (Gerry Dewan / CTV London)

A structural engineer will need to do an evaluation.

Clive Hubbard, an Ontario Fire Marshal’s Office investigator, was also on scene for much of the day, waiting to assist police in their investigation.

“The police are involved in this matter. We’re currently waiting on them to get judicial authority to conduct the investigations. Once they’ve obtained that judicial authority then I’ll be able to go into the unit and actually start my interior examination.”

– With files from CTV News London’s Justin Zadorsky