Emergency crews respond to reports of explosion in downtown Sault Ste. Marie, Ont.

Emergency crews are responding to reports of an explosion on Gore Street in downtown Sault Ste. Marie, Ont., that occurred shortly before noon on Thursday.

Police, fire and paramedics are on the scene of a building that had smoke billowing from its windows.

In an email to CBC News, Sault Fire Services spokesperson Aaron Gravelle confirmed that crews were able to extinguish the fire at a commercial building in the 100 block of Gore Street.

“There is extensive damage to the main level commercial building with multi-unit residential on the second level,” he wrote. 

Gravelle also said a firefighter was taken to hospital for precautionary reasons.

There are no other injuries to report at this time, he said.

Vishnu Prasad, a volunteer with the outreach group Save Our Young Adults or SOYA, was working across the street when it happened. 

“I heard an explosion near the vacuum place,” he said. “It smelled kind of like gas, but I’m not sure if it’s gas.

“There was a lot of smoke, so we closed SOYA and the first responders came and closed the street down.”

Prasad said he didn’t see any flames, but witnessed glass shattering from a building “with a huge force.”

It’s unconfirmed which building was involved, but witnesses on the street told CBC News they believe it was the Sunshine Laundromat building. 

Road closures are in affect around Gore Street as fire crews remain on scene.

Police are urging residents to take alternate routes if they’re travelling downtown and to avoid the area.

Sault Fire Services says the incident is currently under investigation and that the Ontario Fire Marshal will be attending.