A major fire ravaged a disused warehouse in the Gay Village in Montreal on Thursday evening.

According to initial information, the fire would have been declared around 10:45 p.m., at the intersection of Saint-Christophe and La Fayette streets. Visible for miles around, the blaze gave off a strong smell of smoke, according to social media posts from people not far from the event.

Montreal firefighters have raised a fifth alarm to deploy enough units to evacuate residents and fight the flames.