Historic Unionville pub destroyed by fire

A historic pub in Unionville, northeast of Toronto, was destroyed by a stubborn fire that erupted on Friday morning.

Flames broke out at the Unionville Arms on Main Street at about 9 a.m. The fire gutted the establishment.

"It's devastating, it really is," said owner Paul Vasilovsky.

"We'll get through it somehow. There's a lot of support from the people in town and that's what's kept us going for all these years, the loyal patrons, our customers that made Unionville Arms what it is."

No one was injured in the incident.

The building, built in 1870, once housed a blacksmith shop and later a car dealership.

The restaurant has been a popular gathering place for almost two decades.

"It's a real bad day, a real sad day," said patron Joe Bowen, who voices the Toronto Maple Leafs games.

"It's been a great spot to mingle and meet all of the neighbours .... This was always the focal point of things too."

"I've lived here for 35 years," said another resident. "My husband goes there, my sons continue to frequent the place, so it's a real shame."

The fire cleanup and investigation disrupted traffic around the community.

A fire official said the fire is believed to have started at the rear of the building, but he wouldn't speculate as to the cause.

With a report from CTV's Paul Bliss