Firefighters respond to a blaze at the abandoned Sarnia General Hospital building, November 17, 2016. (Photo Dave Dentinger, BlackburnNews.com) Firefighters respond to a blaze at the abandoned Sarnia General Hospital building, November 17, 2016. (Photo Dave Dentinger, BlackburnNews.com)
Sarnia

UPDATE: Arson Suspected In Abandoned Hospital Fire (VIDEO)

Arson is now suspected to be the cause of a four alarm fire at the abandoned Sarnia General Hospital building.

Sarnia Fire Rescue Services says four fire stations responded to the blaze on Mitton St. around 5:20pm on Thursday, after the fire broke out on the third-floor of the Mitton St. building. Because the building was boarded up, firefighters encountered some difficulty entering to battle the blaze.

"Upon arrival we could see visible smoke and flame on the third flood and we made an interior attack [on the fire], due to the fact that there was a report of kids in there," says Platoon Chief Brad Allen.

Fire crews were able to extinguish the blaze and do a search to determine that no one was inside the building. No one was injured in the fire.

Fire officials say the blaze was contained to one room, but other areas may have sustained smoke damage.

A damage estimate is unknown at this time.

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