Fawad Ahmed Nouri, 25, escaped from custody Tuesday morning in Hamilton and is considered armed and dangerous. (Hamilton police)Authorities are conducting a nationwide search for a prisoner on the lam after his brazen escape from a Hamilton hospital with the help of two masked, armed men.

Fawad Nouri, 25, was leaving Hamilton General Hospital at about 11:20 a.m. Tuesday after a scheduled appointment.

Two men carrying handguns then burst on the scene and overpowered the guards — a man and a woman — ordered them to the ground and fled with Nouri in the Ministry of Correctional Services van that was being used to transport the prisoner.

As the gunmen and Nouri made their getaway, they hit an ambulance.

Authorities expanded their search early Wednesday beyond the Hamilton area, asking other Ontario police forces and customs and border agencies across the country to watch for the men, said Hamilton police.

Police later expanded the search nationwide as Nouri remains at large.

"Well, given the type of people we're looking for, there is no telling where they might be heading, so police agencies across the country will be alerted to this issue," Supt. Bill Stewart told CBC News on Wednesday morning.

Hamilton police released a screen shot of one masked suspect caught on security video at Hamilton General Hospital on Tuesday. (Hamilton police)Police believe Nouri and the two other men dumped the stolen Correction Services vehicle at the corner of Birge Street and Victoria Avenue North, then got into a silver Hyundai Tiburon, which was last seen heading east on Birge Street, police said.

Following the daring escape, Community Safety Minister Rick Bartolucci said he's not in favour of arming jail guards. That could cause other problems because they are in "very, very close proximity" to prisoners.

There are about 70,000 cases each year of prisoners in transit from institutions with guards in Ontario, but only five escapes in the past five years, he said.

Timing of escape well planned

A still shot of another masked suspect caught on security video at Hamilton General Hospital on Tuesday. (Hamilton police)It appears the escape was carefully planned, because prisoners aren't told when their visits to hospital will take place.

"Obviously the persons who assisted in this escape were able to obtain some sort of information that allowed them to be there at that time," Stewart said Tuesday.

When asked Wednesday if police had uncovered any new leads in the case, Stewart replied: "Later this morning our investigative team will be sitting down to find out what we've done, what information has come in, what we still need to do and, certainly, where we go here."

Authorities are watching the Toronto area with particular interest, as Nouri "has had some involvement in Toronto and does have some ties to that area," said Stewart. Nouri is believed to have family and friends in the Toronto area.

"If he does come to Toronto with his associates, we are fully aware of what has occurred. We do have a photograph of him as well, and we'll do whatever is possible to locate him," said Toronto Const. Tony Vella.

Police said Nouri used to live in the city's Regent Park housing project.

Violent history

Hamilton police provided this image of a man taken by security video outside the city's detention centre when Nouri was awaiting trial on several charges. They would like to speak to the man, who is described as a person of interest. (Hamilton police)Nouri was in custody at the Hamilton-Wentworth Detention Centre after being wounded in a shootout with police in January following an armed robbery at a Tim Hortons outlet in Hamilton.

He was arrested with another man, 26-year-old Todd Fenty, in connection with that robbery, which led to an exchange of gunfire with police and a high-speed chase.

Nouri was awaiting trial on several charges, including four counts of robbery and one count of wearing a disguise with intent to commit an indictable offence.

He has previous convictions for armed robbery.

Nouri is described as six-foot-one and 163 pounds.

Police are asking anybody with information about Nouri's whereabouts to call 911. They are advising people to not approach either him or the two suspected accomplices, as all are considered armed and dangerous.