Earl Noble

Fire crews battle silo fire at Mount Pearl feed mill

Firefighters with St. John’s Regional Fire Department (SJRFD) spent close to ten hours at the scene of a late-night fire in Mount Pearl.

The call came from a worker at the feed mill, owned by Country Ribbon Incorporated, on Topsail Road. SJRFD Platoon Chief Derek Hunt said the employee was alerted to the fire by a smell likened to burnt popcorn in the air. The worker then detected heat on the outside of the silo, prompting a call to 9-1-1.

When fire crews arrived on the scene, shortly before 9:30 p.m., and opened an access hatch at the side of the silo there was considerable fire inside. Firefighters immediately started pouring water inside to douse the flames. Twenty firefighters, from several stations, attended the scene.

Hunt also said that due to the extent of the burning material and poor access to the fire they opted to use an aerial ladder to spray water through a vent at the top of the silo in an attempt to drown the blaze from above.

Hunt said the blaze could have been much more dangerous. The fire was in a silo that contained a corn product, of similar consistency to popcorn kernels. Had the fire started in a silo containing more finely-ground material they would have been looking at the possibility of an explosion.

Police were forced to close a portion of Topsail Road, just east of the Kenmount Road overpass, as crews needed a fire hydrant across the street. Firefighters were on the scene until 7:00 a.m. the following morning. With limited access points through which to spray water, and the volume of material involved, firefighters were unable to completely extinguish the smouldering material.

The silo suffered some damage to to the heat of the corn burning inside. Officials with Country Ribbon Inc. are at the mill this morning, assessing the situation.

One man seriously injured following firearms offence in Torbay

Police responded to a firearms offence overnight in Torbay.

One man is seriously injured but in stable condition in hospital. A spokesperson for the RNC says the individuals involved are believed to be known to each other.

Residents in Torbay can expect to see an increased police presence today near Foodland.

NTV News will have more information as it becomes available.

Collision involving limousine sends several to hospital

A collision on Kenmount Road late Saturday evening sent about a dozen people to hospital.

Emergency crews were called to the east end of Kenmount Road at about 9:30 p.m. Saturday after the collision, between a limousine and a minivan. Reports from the scene indicate the limousine was traveling westbound on Kenmount Road when it struck the van, which was exiting a parking lot. The impact caused the minivan to strike the limo a second time, shattering one of its windows.

The limousine reportedly had fifteen occupants in the passenger area; most of whom went to hospital. No injuries were considered serious. It was unknown at the time if either driver was transported to hospital.

Damage to both vehicles was extensive. The collision forced police to close a portion of the busy roadway for over two hours until the collision was investigated and the damaged vehicles were removed from the scene.

Driver facing several charges after fleeing from police

One person is facing multiple charges after allegedly fleeing from police in downtown St. John’s on Saturday afternoon.

At about 5:00 Saturday afternoon members of the Royal Newfoundland Constabulary (RNC) attempted to stop a vehicle in the downtown area of St. John’s. The driver refused to stop for police and evaded officers at a high rate of speed. The vehicle was located a short distance away after the driver had collided with a sign post and traffic light pole. The force of the collision sent the sign post several metres into the nearby intersection.

The driver of the car attempted to flee on foot, but was apprehended by officers.

As a result, a forty-four year old male was arrested and charged with impaired driving, impaired refusal, dangers operation of a motor vehicle, hit and run, flight from police, and driving while suspended. The driver was also given tickets for having open liquor in the vehicle, and expired registration.

They were held for court in the morning and their vehicle was impounded.

Evening collision sends one person to hospital

A mid-evening collision in the east end of St. John’s sent one person to hospital and caused significant damage to both vehicles involved.

Emergency crews were called to the intersection of Portugal Cove Road and Prince Philip Drive shortly before 7:00 p.m. following the two-vehicle collision. A pickup truck had collided with a smaller car, causing significant damage to both vehicles. The car came to rest on the opposite side of the intersection, against a traffic light pole.

The driver of the car was helped to a waiting ambulance, where paramedics assessed the individual and later took them to hospital with injuries not believed to be serious. The driver of the pickup truck was also assessed at the scene, however they did not require immediate transport to hospital.

Traffic was slowed at the busy intersection, which is notorious for being a location of frequent motor vehicle collisions.

Police investigate after 16-year-old-boy assaulted at Prince of Wales Collegiate

Police were called to a report of an assault at Prince of Wales Collegiate (PWC) in St. John’s on Thursday.

The Royal Newfoundland Constabulary (RNC) said in a statement released late Thursday evening that a 16-year-old boy suffered serious injuries and required medical attention following a violent assault at the centre-city high school. Multiple RNC officers, with Operational Patrol Services (OPS), Criminal Investigation Division (CID), Forensic Identification Services (FIS), and Police Dog Services (PDS), along with paramedics from Eastern Health responded to the scene shortly before noon.

The teen who was the alleged victim of the attack was taken to the Janeway Hospital to receive medical treatment. The Newfoundland and Labrador English School District says PWC went into secure school mode immediately after the incident and families were informed. On the advice of the RNC, students were dismissed from secure school mode around 2:00 p.m.

The RNC has assembled a Major Case Management Team to investigate the event, and request any witnesses, or anyone with video footage, contact the police. Investigators are seeking any information and video footage in the noted areas:

  • Paton Street
  • Elizabeth Avenue, from Westerland Road to Freshwater Road
  • Anderson Avenue
  • Stabb Court
  • Keegan Court
  • Cowperthwaite Court
  • Mitchell Court

A Major Case Management Team dedicates resources from multiple sections of the RNC CID, promoting efficient and systematic investigation of significant criminal events.

Anyone who is experiencing stress or mental health crisis as a result of this event, please reach out to the provincial mental health crisis line for support through 8-1-1.

The RNC request that anyone with information to assist contact the RNC at 729-8000 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477). You can now provide information anonymously on the NL Crime Stoppers Website at www.nlcrimestoppers.com or use the P3Tips app #SayItHere

The scene of a violent attack at a St. John’s high school

Driver escapes injury after car leaves road

The driver of a car was lucky to have escaped injury after the car they were driving left the road Wednesday evening.

Emergency crews were called to the eastbound lanes of the Outer Ring Road, at Exit 50, shortly before 6:00 p.m.. The driver of a car lost control of the vehicle, striking a snowbank at the side of the road. The car narrowly missed colliding with a sign post indicating the exit to Logy Bay Road. The vehicle’s mirror made contact with the post, while the car continued along the embankment.

The vehicle came to rest a fair distance away, and showed signs of moderate damage. The driver of the car was uninjured in the ordeal.

Man facing multiple charges following evening of crime

A twenty-six year old male is facing multiple charges following an evening of crime in the capital city.

At about 6:30 p.m. officers with the Royal Newfoundland Constabulary (RNC) responded to a report of an armed robbery at a service station on Topsail Road. A lone subject had entered the business armed with a knife and left with an unknown amount of cash. A search of the area was conducted, however the subject was not located.

Roughly two hours later, at 8:30 p.m., RNC responded to a report of a possible impaired driver on the Outer Ring Road near Paradise. The driver refused to stop for police and due to public safety reasons the chase was quickly terminated. It was unclear at publication time if this incident was related to the armed robbery.

At about 9:30 p.m. police located the same vehicle, which had been stolen, on Lemarchant Road. Officers were able to stop the vehicle, and arrested both occupants. Police were able to identify the male driver as the same person responsible for the armed robbery earlier in the evening.

As a result of the investigation the twenty-six year old male has been charged with three counts each of Flight from Police and Dangerous Driving, Armed Robbery, two counts of Breach of a Court Order, and Theft of a Motor Vehicle. They were held to appear before a judge.

The passenger of the vehicle was released without any charges.

Collision in east end sends two to hospital

A collision involving two vehicles, and damaging a third, sent two people to hospital on Sunday evening.

Emergency crews were called to the intersection of Torbay Road and Newfoundland Drive at about 5:30 p.m., following the crash. Two vehicles had collided in the intersection, causing one of them to carom into a third car that was stopped at a red light.

Paramedics assisted the two occupants of one of the cars to a waiting ambulance. They were taken to hospital with injuries not believed to be serious. The driver of the second vehicle was assessed at the scene. The two occupants of the third vehicle involved were uninjured. While two of the cars sustained significant damage, the third was driven from the scene.

Traffic in the area was slowed for some time until the scene could be cleared.

Single-vehicle crash sends two people to hospital

Two people were taken to hospital Monday evening following a dramatic single-vehicle crash on Pitts Memorial Drive.

The incident happened shortly after 8:30 p.m., when the driver of an eastbound car lost control of the vehicle. The car left the road, entered the snow on the shoulder of the road, and traveled along a guardrail. The vehicle then struck the concrete end of the bridge over Richard Nolan Drive before coming to rest on the overpass.

The force of the collision sent debris flying across the road, some of which came to rest in the opposing lanes of the highway. Both east- and west-bound lanes of the highway were closed for some time, the former was closed for close to an hour until the scene could be cleared.

Both occupants of the car were taken to hospital with injuries not believed at the time to be serious in nature.

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