Scotiabank Centre fire forces street closures in Halifax Thursday

A fire broke out at the Scotiabank Centre in Halifax on Thursday.

Some streets in downtown Halifax were closed Thursday afternoon following a fire at the Scotiabank Centre.

Halifax Professional Fire Fighters say they responded to reports of a structure fire in the area around 12:45 p.m.

When they arrived, they found a small fire outside the arena on the roof above the mezzanine, said Deputy Fire Chief Brad Connors.

Construction crews had been doing some welding work on the roof.

“Additional resources were requested as crews deployed hose lines and aerial devices to bring the fire under control,” read a social media post from Halifax Professional Fire Fighters around 1:30 p.m.

“Firefighters are currently engaged in suppression efforts, roof operations, and scene management.”

Firefighters had the blaze under control within minutes, said Connors, and there was minimal damage to the inside of the exterior wall.

Although Connors can’t say at this point how the fire started, the construction workers were doing welding work to the metal support for a digital sign.

Connors said the construction workers weren’t on site and had left for lunch when the fire call came in.

Events East Group, which manages and operates the venue, says there were no injuries and the building is currently being assessed for damages.

The building was also evacuated for a short time.

Halifax Regional Police said officers were also on scene to assist with road closures.

Some streets in the area were closed Thursday. They have since reopened.

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