Firefighters remain at the scene of an early morning fire at the intersection of St-Antoine and de la Montagne streets on Friday.
The fire broke out at 5:30 a.m. in an abandoned three-storey building across the street from the Bell Centre, which used to house a hotel.
Fire chief Francis Leduc told Global News flames could be seen jutting out from the second floor.
Some 100 firefighters were called to battle the three-alarm fire.
There were no reports of injury, but Leduc said about 10 squatters were seen escaping the building.
A subsequent search showed there was no one else inside.
Police were warning motorists to avoid the area, as firefighters tackled the blaze.
By 7:15 a.m. only St-Antoine Street remained closed between Peel and Lucien L’Allier streets.
The cause of the fire is not yet known.