A massive overnight blaze caused significant damage to abandoned school buildings in Halifax’s north end that have been described as a “known hazard” for possible fires.
The union representing Halifax firefighters says many of its members were called to the massive structure fire around 2 a.m. Sunday, and the blaze escalated quickly.
Brent Williams, a spokesperson for Halifax Professional Fire Fighters IAFF Local 268, says at the fire’s peak there were 44 firefighters at the scene of the fires in the long-vacant school buildings on Agricola Street.
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The 44 firefighters represent almost half of the available daily staff minimum across the 5,700 square kilometre municipality.
Williams says the Bloomfield school site, which is owned by a developer and sits vacant, has been a “known hazard for some time.”
Halifax Regional Fire and Emergency says in a statement on social media the blaze was brought under control around 5:45 a.m. and no injuries were reported.
The fire department says the cause of the blaze is under investigation and firefighters remained on scene Sunday to put out hidden fires.
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