Firefighters battle blaze at former Odd Fellows Hall in Thunder Bay

Thunder Bay firefighters are battling a blaze in the city's downtown south core.

The fire at the former Odd Fellows Hall on May Street started on Sunday night, with Thunder Bay Fire Rescue crews continuing their firefighting efforts well into Monday morning.

Thunder Bay fire platoon chief John Kaplanis said the initial 911 call was made by staff at the Shelter House, which is to the east of the building. Smoke from the fire, which billowed in the direction of the Shelter House, prompted an evacuation of the facility with people taken to a local hotel.

Kaplanis said firefighters arrived to the third floor of the building being fully involved in flames and smoke. Firefighters are using a defensive approach, tackling the blaze from the exterior, he added.

Kaplanis described it as a "stubborn" fire, which he said was likely a result of it being an older building that had gone through many renovations. Firefighting efforts were also affected by heavy winds, he added.

Kaplanis said the building was vacant and was boarded up and sealed, with power and utilities cut off. He said a perimeter search indicated that no doors or windows had been breached but an interior of the search of the building would happen after the fire is brought under control.