Thick smoke covers Mount Pearl as fire breaks out at industrial park warehouse

Thick billowing smoke blew from a Mount Pearl industrial park warehouse early Tuesday morning, as dozens of firefighters converged to battle the blaze.

A fire was reported at 4 a.m. NT after a Mount Pearl employee noticed smoke coming from 30 Dundee Ave. 

No one was in the building at the time.

"The building was vacant. We had to force entry into the building," Derek Hunt, platoon chief at St. John's Regional Fire Department, told CBC News.

A Royal Newfoundland Constabulary vehicle and a city truck were blocking one entrance into Dundee Avenue, while an ambulance as well as three fire trucks responded to the call. The Salvation Army also set up a truck to serve hot food and drinks to the firefighters.

"We're still going to ask people to stay away from the area — that we have a lot of trucks and extra personnel here," Hunt said. 

Crews would likely be on the scene until noon, he said. 

Three stations responded to the call. 

The responses included 26 firefighters, said Hunt, which he added is normal response to a commercial fire.

"Upon arrival we had heavy smoke showing and currently we have three stations here and most of the fire's currently out," he said. "However, there's a large plume of smoke on Dundee Avenue, so we'd like to ask all the people in the area to avoid this street if at all possible."

At one point firefighters were using a saw to cut into the side of the building.

"We were in the building, but due to the heavy fire and smoke when we're initially here we had to take all crews out. So now it's a completely exterior fire attack," said Hunt.

While no flames were visible from the street, thick and dark smoke was coming from the building. He said the smoke could pose a health concern.

"We're not sure what is burning in the building right now, so I wouldn't be able to put a cause on what the effects of that would be."