A fire that broke out at the former Travellers Inn at 760 Queens Ave. in Victoria early Saturday morning continues to be fought by the Victoria Fire Department (VFD).

Around 4 a.m. crews were called to the scene where the balconies from the first to the third floor on the front side of the building were on fire. 

VFD stated that portions of the building have collapsed and heavy machinery is in use for a controlled demolition. Fire crews remain on scene. 

“A special thanks to Victoria Fire crews, who were met with extremely challenging conditions on arrival this morning and worked diligently to clear the structure as quickly as possible,” said Victoria Fire Chief Dan Atkinson. “Due to rapidly progressing fire conditions, crews had to withdraw before clearing the entire building and transition to a defensive posture to prevent the fire from spreading.”

VFD was joined by Sannich, Esquimalt and Oak Bay fire departments to battle the intense fire. 

In a statement released Saturday evening, VFD reported that all nine residents of the property had been accounted for and there were no injuries to firefighters. 

They also said there may have been more people in the building that were not officially registered. Both VFD and the Victoria Police were working to make sure everyone was found.  

Many streets were blocked off in Victoria during the day while fire crews worked. Streets began to reopen around 3:30 p.m.

Residents at nearby 723 Field St. were also evacuated as a precaution and all displaced residents are getting assistance from the City of Victoria’s Emergency Support Services.