'Flames were coming through the roof': Former Fredericton art gallery destroyed

A former art gallery in Fredericton has been destroyed by a fire that broke out early Monday morning.

Firefighters responded to the former Knob Hill Gallery Inc., a two-and-a-half-storey building in Marysville at around 1:30 a.m.

"Flames were coming through the roof … and there were a lot of explosions at the same time," said Steven Fraser, a platoon captain with the Fredericton Fire Department.

"The building is a total loss."

Fraser said the fire is under control but traffic on Canada Street will be down to one lane until noon.

Canada Street was completely closed from 1:30 a.m. until about 6 a.m., he said.

There were no injuries involved in the fire, which was called in by a neighbour.

Two neighbouring houses were also evacuated early Monday morning as a precaution, but residents were eventually able to return.

Fraser said the building was vacant at the time.

"There was fire in the basement all the way through the roof," he said.

There were 17 firefighters and five fire trucks on scene. Police, paramedics and NB Power also responded to the blaze.

Fire investigators are still determining the cause of the fire.