Emergency services have shut down a section of Yonge Street in the heart of Toronto following a major three-alarm commercial building fire on Sunday morning.
Local law enforcement reported receiving emergency calls regarding the incident near the intersection of Yonge and Elm streets shortly following 6:00 a.m.
First responders from Toronto Fire Services noted that emergency teams initially arrived to combat a blaze located on the rooftop of 359 Yonge Street, observing dense, dark smoke rising from the property. The adult entertainment venue, Zanzibar Tavern, operates out of that specific location.
In a public social media statement, the emergency department detailed that interior operations remain underway, though specific segments of the building framework are now considered structurally unstable.
Emergency personnel reported that the structure’s roof has lost its stability due to the blaze, rendering it too hazardous for firefighting teams to continue their suppression efforts from within the building.
Law enforcement officials added that details regarding potential casualties remain unconfirmed at this moment.
The precise factors that triggered the blaze remain undetermined at this moment.
Law enforcement authorities confirmed that Yonge Street has been blocked off from Dundas Street to Gerrard Street, with additional traffic restrictions halting westbound transit along Gerrard Street at Church Street.
First responders stated that tactical operations have shifted exclusively to external suppression methods as localized pockets of intense heat persist. Emergency officials have not yet established a definitive timeline for when the situation will be entirely brought under control.
