Kiptoo Wins Again

Gilbert Kiptoo is the winner of the Firefighters Ten Mile Road Race. The Kenyan runner crossed the line in just over 51 minutes. This is the fifth straight time Kiptoo has won the race.

Morning Accident On Arthur Street

One man is in hospital following an early morning crash on the south side.  City Police says just after 6 o'clock this morning, a transport truck and a 2-door car collided at the corner of Arthur Street and Madison. The jaws of life were used to remove the victim from the car.  He remains in hospital recovering from his injuries.  The accident scene caused that area of Arthur Street to be closed during the morning commute.

Hagi Workers On Strike

75 unionized HAGI Community Services employees are striking.  The workers haven't had a wage increase since 2009. Union Spokesperson Colby Flank says they'll stay on the picket line as long as it takes to reach a better deal. Meanwhile, HAGI's management says the strike will impact operations at six apartment buildings which are staffed by the personal support workers. The company says they are taking steps to mitigate any disruption to those who require help. 

Province Commits Cash To ROF

The provincial government is committing one billion dollars towards the Ring of Fire infrastructure development. The announcement was made in Thunder Bay this morning by Mines Minister Michael Gravelle.
Gravelle challenges the federal government to do the same. The promise will be included in this weeks provincial budget which would require NDP support in order to pass.

Tina's False Alarm

False alarm this afternoon at Tina's Restaurant.  Fire crews check out a call for a roof on fire while staff wait outside.  A mechanical issue to one of the building's heating units caused smoke.  No one was injured.

Vehicle Fire

City fire crews battled a vehicle fire this morning at Balsam Pit on the north side.  Firefighters were called to the baseball diamond just after 6 o'clock this morning.  A pumper unit was dispatched a second time after the vehicle caught fire again just before 8 o'clock.  Police are looking into the incident.

Hammarskjold High School Evacuation

Crews are investigating the cause of a gas smell at Hammarskjold High School this afternoon. The school had to be evacuated after the odour was reported on the second floor. Staff and students have since been allowed back inside.

Police Car Involved In Accident

Four people were sent to hospital including two children following a collision between a police cruiser and a car at the intersection of Arthur and Franklin Street last night. The accident occurred just after 7:30 while the cruiser was responding to a call. Those sent to hospital had only minor injuries. The Police Traffic Unit continues to investigate with more details expected to be released next week.

Early Morning Accident On High Street

One person is recovering in hospital following a two vehicle accident this morning on the city's north side.  The woman was taken to hospital with injuries than are not considered life threatening following the collision between a car and an SUV which took place at the corner of Oliver Road and High Street just before 8:30.   Driver of the SUV is now charged with running a red light.

Weldon Is Back In T.Bay

Thunder Bay's Para Olympian Robbi Weldon is back from Sochi, Russia. Her flight arrived Monday night at the Thunder Bay Airport.  She says she's happy with her performances noting she's still suffering from injuries she sustained last year. Weldon was welcomed by her friends and family. She says it was fantastic to visit Russia and the Russian people were very gracious.

14 Million Announced For Health Care Locally

Health Minister Deb Matthews is announcing 14 million dollars to help improve access to emergency care and other healthcare providers in Thunder Bay. The cash will support Thunder Bay’s three largest health care providers: Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre, St. Joseph’s Care Group and the North West Community Care Access Centre.   The money will also be used to recruit up to 10 full time and 14 temporary emergency room doctors, staff 10 acute care hospital beds that will be able to treat up to 600 more patients every year. The hospital will also use the cash to create 26 new beds to help more people with long-term illnesses receive specialized care.

Overheated Laptop Causes House Fire

 A city fire inspector says it was an overheated laptop that was the cause of a house fire on Ryerson Crescent last week. No one was injured but the damage is estimated in the hundreds of thousands of dollars.  Eric Nordlund says it appears that someone left the portable computer on a couch where  air circulation was a problem.  Meantime,  Nordlund says it's important to keep fire alarms working in your home.   He points to two apartment fires from last week, on Archibald and Simpson Streets, where it was noticed that fire alarms in the dwellings were disabled. In both cases he says careless smoking was the cause of the fires.

Poor Credit

A man is recovering from minor injuries after crashing into a Credit Union store on West Arthur Street earlier this afternoon. The building suffered minor damage to its exterior.

Crews Investigate Morning House Fire

Thunder Bay Fire crews are currently investigating the cause of an early morning house fire at 707 John Street. Platoon Chief Larry Warner says one woman was inside the home at the time, she is being treated in hospital. The blaze is believed to of started in the basement. The two adjoining homes are not believed to of sustained any damage from the fire.

Ogden Street House Fire

A mother and her two children are shaken up but safe following a fire at an Ogden Street home this morning. There were three pets inside the home at the time of the fire, two of which have died. The blaze was contained to a single bedroom and believed to of started from a candle.

Morning Fire At Seniors Home

There were no injuries following an early morning fire at the Suomi Koti Seniors Home in County Park. Firefighters were called to the residence in the 500 block of County Boulevard just before 6:30 this morning. District Fire Chief Mark Harris says the fire was contained to a mechanical room.  Firefighters worked to clear minor smoke from the building and residents were placed in a common area inside.  The cause is not yet known.  

Head On Collision

City Police, emergency officials and Fire are on the scene of a two vehicle head on collision in the area of Balmoral Street and Harold Crescent. Police say one person was trapped inside their vehicle. A woman has been taken to hospital with injuries not considered serious.

Rally At St. Joseph's Hospital

Unifor is rallying at St. Joseph's Hospital in support of their 500 health care members. Local President Kari Jefford says employees are angry since top officials continue to get bonuses while regular employees see no new benefits.  Jefford notes their members are overworked and are experiencing fatigue.

Gas In Short Supply

Reports of a gasoline shortage in the city has some station managers on edge.  Gail Robertson of Chapman's Gas Bar says right now they are going day to day and have imposed a ceiling on purchases.  She says until further notice, no one will be allowed to pump m ore than 50 litres.  As well, several gas bars have been selling premium gasoline for the price of regular because of the shortfall

College And FWFN Sign Education Deal

The Fort William First Nation and Confederation College are partners in education.  The two have signed a deal which will see First Nation students get skills training on the reserve.  Chief Georjann Morriseau says it's a first step in building a relationship between the two groups.  College President Jim Madder says it will help the students become a part of the growing First Nations economy.  The program is expected to get up and running in the new year.