Crews battle 3-alarm fire at vacant Toronto heritage building

Fire crews are continuing to douse a vacant heritage building with water following a three-alarm blaze in downtown Toronto on Monday.

No injuries have been reported as the building on Jarvis Street near Carlton appears to have been boarded up.

Toronto Fire said crews arrived on scene around 5:30 a.m. ET. and had a tough time putting out the fire upon arrival as some of the hydrants were frozen due to the cold weather conditions.

“We’ve had several frozen hydrants that we’re trying to deal with, ” said  Platoon Chief Trevor Trotter. “That’s hampered us slightly. But at this point we’re good.”

Trotter said the interior of the building is “very broken up” and the fire progressed to a point where it has punctured through the roof.

WATCH: Too early to determine cause of vacant building fire

2:05 Too early to determine cause of vacant building fire near Jarvis & Carlton

“We haven’t been able to do a full search of the building due to the involvement of the fire,” said Trotter.

“The fire looked like it was mainly contained to the second/third floor.”

Toronto Fire dispatched 20 trucks and 80 firefighters to contain the blaze.

City records reveal an application to build a 43-story condominium project was rejected last spring as it represented an “over-development” of the site.

“The proposed building does not transition appropriately to the Neighbourhoods designation, creating unsupportable shadow, proximity and over look issues,” the staff report read.

The report also stated the new condo project would adversely affect Allan Gardens by reducing the amount of sunlight which would impact the horticultural conservatory and its greenhouse.

The developer, Duration Investments Limited, has since appealed the decision which is currently under review by the City Solicitor.

The residence was originally built in 1865 and altered in 1901 for Dr. Charles Sheared, who was the city’s chief medical officer and also served as a member of Parliament from 1917 to 1925.

It was given the heritage designation in 1990.