Timmins fire crews continue to battle blaze at Empire Complex

Timmins area fire crews are still working to put out the blaze at the Empire Complex.

A skyline view of the Empire Complex in Timmins still burning late in the morning on March 24, 2024. (Facebook/The Voices Of Timmins)

The intersection of Spruce Street and Algonquin Boulevard along with roadways near the building remain closed and flames could still be seen coming from the roof early Sunday afternoon.

Teams from Mountjoy, Schumacher, and Timmins Fire Departments have been working at the building since Saturday afternoon.

Timmins fire officials told CTV News in a phone interview that cold temperatures hindered their efforts to extinguish the blaze.

Officials said the fire trucks and other equipment were out all night fighting the fire and froze.

At about 6 a.m. crews dismantled much of the equipment and brought it to fire halls to thaw, officials said.

Emergency responders said the structure of the building has been compromised by the inferno making continuing to fight the fire more difficult as they cannot send crews into the interior.

Fire crews brought in aerial water towers to combat the fire on the roof of the Empire Complex in Timmins, Ont. on March 23, 2024. (Supplied/City of Timmins)

Aerial water towers were brought in to help combat the fire on Saturday.

Smoke coming the Empire Complex building as Timmins fire crews continue to assess the blaze on March 23, 2024. (Supplied/City of TImmins)

“As of this morning, the situation is still ongoing, and there is no clear determination on the status of the scene and the condition of the Empire Complex building,” the Cochrane District Social Services Association Board (CDSSAB) said in a news release Sunday.

“CDSSAB and city administration convened a meeting with health and emergency services to determine the path forward.”

The social services board said that residents of the Empire Complex residents are still being housed at the Bon Air Motel on Algonquin Boulevard East, but asked that friends and family not call or come to the motel at this time.

“Displaced residents' essential needs are being met,” said CDSSAB.

“The process for accepting donations, including material and cash donations, is being finalized.”

CDSSAB and the city said further details regarding donations will be shared on Monday.

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Timmins Fire Departments attempt to extinguish a blaze at the historic Empire Complex in Timmins, Ont. on March 23, 2024. (Facebook/The Voices Of Timmins)

First responders have asked that the public still stay away from the area as emergency crews continue to tend to the scene as road and sidewalk conditions around the building have become slippery – officials said there have been insistences where vehicles have driving through the emergency pylons because of the ice built up from firefighting activities.

Emergency officials have still not released any details about the cause of the fire.

Fire officials said as of 2:45 p.m. on March 23, 2024 they had pulled all crews out of the Empire Complex building on Spruce Street South as the roof was starting to cave in from the blaze. (Facebook/The Voices Of Timmins)

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Check back to CTVNorthernOntario.ca for more updates on this story as the situation develops.