The Thunder Bay Fire Department is expressing safety concerns regarding the old Lakehead Psychiatric Hospital.
Owned by the Ontario government, the former hospital is unmaintained and unsafe for people to enter.
The fire department has responded to four fires in the building so far this year, some involving incidents with trespassers.
Deputy Fire Chief, Dave Tarini, says the building is full of asbestos and has limited working utilities.
“With any vacant building, the property falls into a state of disrepair and it’s extremely dangerous for people going into the building,” said Tarini.
The Chief says they are meeting with Infrastructure Ontario next week to discuss concerns with security. The goal is to keep trespassers out and make sure the building stays sealed against unauthorized entry.
Tarini says the future of the building is unknown, however, would love to see it repurposed. He encourages the public to report any signs of trespassers in the meantime.
“It’s tough for police to stay on top of this and it’s against the law. There are also so many unknown dangers that are not able to be controlled.”