A commercial building in Toronto’s downtown core caught fire early Sunday morning.
Emergency crews were called to 359 Yonge Street just after 6 a.m. for reports of a blaze near the roof-area of Zanzibar Tavern.
Authorities say the fire is under control, but add that parts of the structure are compromised and there is the potential for the roof to collapse.
Footage from the scene shows the building with multiple broken windows and scorch marks.
No one was inside the building when the fire broke out and no injuries were reported.
Investigators have been called to the scene to determine what caused the fire.
“I recognize the historic nature of the building and its significance to the Downtown Yonge street scape,” area councillor Chris Moise wrote in a statement. “My office will reach out to the property owner in the coming days to offer any assistance that we can following this tragic incident.”
The tavern’s owner spoke to CityNews outside of the burning building on Sunday and said he and his employees are devastated by the fire.
“We probably have about 30 regular employees, but we also have 100, 200 dancers per week who also earn a living there, so we have a lot of people we support,” owner Allen Cooper said.
“We’re reeling at Zanzibar and we hope for the best,” he added. “It could have been worse, thankfully nobody got hurt.”
Cooper’s parents purchased the tavern in the 1960s when Yonge Street was known as “Sin Strip,” a name it earned thanks to dozens of massage parlours and adult cinemas that lined the street.
Cooper said the tavern is part of an “essential industry” with historic value. He promises to reopen “stronger, bigger and better.”
