Quinpool Road blaze under control after 40 hours of attack

After nearly 40 hours of firefighting, a devastating fire on Quinpool road was declared under control around 7 p.m. Saturday.

The effort brought together over 30 crew members and multiple pieces of equipment to tackle the flames ravaging an older building consisting of four businesses and three apartments.

Firefighters were called to the 6300 block of Quinpool Road just after midnight Friday responding to reports of a blaze. Upon arrival, crews encountered heavy smoke and began evacuating residents from the building.

HRFE says the fire was deep-seated and in an older building that had undergone numerous renovations, making it difficult to access the flames.

The Canadian Red Cross assisted those displaced, and no injuries were reported. At the height of the blaze, more than 30 firefighters and multiple pieces of equipment were on scene.

In an HFXALERT issued around 7:30 pm Friday officials said that Halifax Regional Fire & Emergency is still engaged in active firefighting and the fire scene continues to release very toxic smoke. All residents are being requested to stay away from this location for their safety. Homes and businesses in the area are being advised to keep windows / doors closed and turn off systems that bring in air from the outside.

“The smoke was especially toxic because of the materials inside the structure—things like plastics, insulation, treated wood, and synthetic furnishings,” Halifax Professional Fire Fighters wrote in a post on Facebook. “When those burn, they release hazardous gases like carbon monoxide, hydrogen cyanide, and phosgene.”

Quinpool Road was closed between Oxford Street and Preston Street Friday night and into Saturday. The area was deemed safe and the road was reopened at 7:20 p.m.

The cause of the fire is still under investigation.