Fire in downtown Calgary closes Centre Street; building to be demolished

CALGARY – A burned out building in Chinatown is going to be demolished, officials say.

The city has activiated its emergency disaster plan as nearby apartments were evacuated beside the fire at 221 Centre Street S.W.

The Calgary Fire Department, Calgary Police Service, EMS, Calgary Transit and city roads, water services/water resources, development and building approvals, and Disaster Social Services are all responding to the fire that broke out this morning before 5 a.m.

The fire shut down a major commute route since early this morning, city officials said, and fire crews have evacuated neighbouring apartments near the burning building.

Smoke began pouring out of the burning building at around 5 a.m., officials say.

Calgary EMS confirmed they were called to the building in Chinatown, and Centre Street has been closed off from 7th Avenue N. to 4th Avenue S.

Air quality is a concern for nearly 200 residents of two nearby apartment buildings, many of them elderly people who don’t speak English, said fire spokesman Jeff Budai.

To get around the language barrier, an interpreter gave directions over a P.A system to the occupants in two different languages.

Residents were told to keep windows and doors closed and advise emergency crews if they experienced any discomfort.

One woman suffering with anxiety was taken to hospital as a precaution.

Several Calgary Transit buses are on hand to keep residents warm during this morning’s snowy weather.

Budai said the building where the fire broke out is a two-storey commercial structure, which houses Bobby Chao’s restaurant, retail and office space. It has caught fire in the past, witnesses say.

Firefighters are still on site trying to contain the fire, although officials are unsure if the building is vacant, since a search of the premises was halted by the flames earlier.