Fire destroys 70-year-old building in downtown Halifax

HALIFAX - A fire has destroyed a two storey commercial building in an area of downtown Halifax.

Halifax fire department division commander Scott Shaffner says the blaze broke out in a building just off Gottingen Street just before 8 a.m. today.

The building at 5426 Portland Place houses several businesses and is located behind a Staples store.

Shaffner says at its height the fire threw intense heat and required as many as 10 fire units to bring under control.

He says a storage area containing furniture and a large number of mattresses helped accelerate the fire which eventually collapsed the building.

Shaffner says 14 people were removed from some homes nearby and no injuries were reported.