Fire crews extinguished a massive blaze in downtown Victoria on Monday.
Large plumes of smoke were seen billowing out of a building believed to be the old Plaza Hotel, which once housed the strip club known as Monty’s.
The fire broke out just after 5 a.m., but quickly grew to consume the entire building. One wall of the structure partially collapsed.
There have no reports of injuries so far, however the building’s caretaker remains unaccounted for.
Dozens of firefighters were in the area of Government and Johnson streets, and the entire block was been shut down as crews worked to contain the blaze.
The City of Victoria said crews would remain on scene overnight to monitor for hot spots and monitor the site.
It said Pandora Avenue west of Douglas Street and Government Street between Johnson and Fisgard Streets would remain closed until further notice.
Officials closed Victoria City Hall due to poor air quality and road closures around the fire, and said the structure would remain closed on Tuesday.
BC Transit also announced several bus detours.
Police and fire investigators will both probe the cause of the fire, though officials say it is still too early to say if it is suspicious.
Firefighters are hoping to plan a controlled collapse once conditions allow.
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