6 feared dead in blast, fire at Ottawa building

Six people were feared dead after an explosion and fire at a commercial building in Ottawa, police said Friday, as authorities searched for missing employees.

Three men were hospitalized after the blast Thursday in the Canadian capital’s Nepean area, and authorities were searching for five other people, Ottawa police said. They said they didn’t expect to find survivors among the four men and a woman.

One of the hospitalized men succumbed to his injuries. Another remained in serious condition, police said, and the third man had been released.

CBC news reported that the site of the blast belongs to Eastway Tank Pump & Meter, a maker of custom tank trucks.

Investigations were underway.