3 injured, 1 critically after explosion in downtown Prince George, B.C., officials say

An explosion that injured three people and shattered store windows in downtown Prince George, B.C., Tuesday morning is being treated as suspicious, according to the RCMP.

Authorities said the blast erupted inside an abandoned building near Fourth Avenue and Dominion Street around 7 a.m., igniting a fire that firefighters spent hours extinguishing. 

• IN PICTURES: Massive explosion rocks downtown Prince George, B.C.

Katherine Saunby is co-owner of Daydream Donuts Café, a block away from where the blast happened.

“You heard the roar of it and you felt the building shake at the same time,” Saunby said. “Some of the things fell off the shelves in the shaking.”

“You could see the flames and smoke and there were people running everywhere,” she added. “We were running around administering first aid and helping everyone out.” 

Cpl. Jennifer Cooper of the Prince George RCMP detachment said officers arrived on scene eight minutes after the explosion, and are trying to piece together what happened during that time – including whether anyone was seen running away from the building, and who those individuals might be.

"We're making a public appeal right now to anybody who has video," Cooper told reporters Tuesday afternoon. "That's dash camera footage, video surveillance or anything captured on your cellphone that could provide investigators with clues."

Cooper also revealed authorities have spoken with FortisBC and confirmed there was natural gas present in the area after the incident.

"Was that was caused the explosion? That is unknown currently, as we've not been able to even get into the building to make any determinations as to what was going on there before the explosion occurred," she said.

After the blast, two patients were transported to the University Hospital of Northern B.C. by ambulance and a third was driven there by a member of the public, according to officials.

One of the patients was listed in critical condition as of Tuesday afternoon and was "expected to be transferred to a higher level of care," a spokesperson for Northern Health told CTV News in an email statement.

"The other two patients were assessed as being in fair condition, and they will likely be admitted for further observation," the spokesperson said.

Authorities blocked off pedestrian and vehicle access to an area between Third and Fourth avenues from Dominion to Queensway as emergency crews responded to the incident.

Cooper said Fourth Avenue between Dominion and George Street would likely remain closed "over the next several days" as the RCMP continues its investigation.

"The fire is being treated as suspicious currently by RCMP so we'll also be on scene for an extended period of time," she said.