Sudbury Hospital Fire Deemed Suspicious After Blaze at Abandoned Building

A fire at the old St. Joseph’s Hospital on Paris Street in Sudbury Wednesday night is now being treated as suspicious, according to officials. The blaze broke out on the second floor of the long-vacant building around 12:30 p.m. and took several hours to fully extinguish.

Smoke, Road Closures, and Bus Detours

While no flames were initially visible, firefighters were seen working through second-floor windows where smoke had started to billow. Paris Street was closed in both directions between York and McNaughton streets, affecting nearby traffic and GOVA transit routes.

Several bus stops — Boland 5035, John 5020, and Brady 1130 — were temporarily closed due to the emergency. As of Thursday morning, southbound traffic on Paris Street has resumed.

Crews Worked Through the Night

According to Deputy Fire Chief Jesse Oshell, it took crews until 1:30 a.m. Thursday to fully suppress the fire. The blaze had spread through combustible materials that remained in the building from a past movie production set.

“We suspect it was that material that was on fire,” Oshell said.
“We do feel it is suspicious because the hospital is abandoned.”

With no current occupants and the building sealed off, officials say there was no legitimate reason for ignition in the area. The Greater Sudbury Police Service has been notified and is now investigating the incident alongside fire officials.

Owner Notified, Concerns Over Building Safety

The derelict hospital, owned by Panoramic Properties, has sat vacant since 2010. It has long been a concern for local residents due to its deteriorating condition and past trespassing incidents. Officials confirmed that building safety experts from the city have been contacted to evaluate the structure.

“We want to ensure the building remains safe until Panoramic proceeds with development,” said Oshell.

In recent years, Panoramic announced plans to build over 500 residential units on the site — a mix of apartments, condos, and retirement housing — but has yet to provide a firm timeline for demolition or redevelopment.

From Health Centre to Hazard

Originally opened in 1950 as the Sudbury General Hospital, the site later became known as the St. Joseph’s Health Centre. It officially closed in 2010 following a provincial mandate that merged Sudbury’s hospitals into what is now Health Sciences North.

While a mural was added in 2019 as part of the Up Here festival in an attempt to beautify the property, many locals have called the abandoned site an eyesore in the years since.

Have you lived near the old St. Joseph’s Hospital? What do you think should be done with the site? Share your thoughts below.

More…

• https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/sudbury/old-hospital-fire-1.7540728
• https://www.thesudburystar.com/news/fire-at-former-sudbury-hospital-on-paris-street-paris-street-closed
• https://www.cbc.ca/lite/story/1.7540728