Flames engulfed a building at 335 Yonge St. at around 4 am Monday, causing nearby Ryerson University buildings to be closed for the day.
According to a pre-recorded message on Ryerson’s main telephone line, the school was “closed due to an outside emergency.” The building was not part of Ryerson’s campus. It once housed a popular local restaurant, but had been closed since a wall collapse last spring. The university also said residence buildings would still be open on Monday.
Bruce Piercey, a spokesman for Ryerson, said the campus buildings were closed because many of the surrounding streets have been blocked off by Toronto police while they investigate the cause of the fire.
He also said classes were not scheduled to start until next week, though he could not confirm when the streets around campus would be reopened.
According to the Toronto Star, the Toronto fire department had not confirmed the cause of the fire. They could not be reached for further comment. “We’re going to be here for awhile,” Fire Capt. Mike Strapko told the Star.