Firefighters battling 3-alarm blaze at Toronto's Zanzibar Tavern
· Toronto Sun
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Fire crews were battling a three-alarm blaze on Sunday morning at the commercial building that houses the Zanzibar Tavern adult entertainment club on Yonge St. in the heart of downtown.
Toronto Fire responded to reports of thick smoke at Yonge and Elm Sts. just after 6 a.m.
Crews arrived to find a fire on the roof at 359 Yonge St., which is home to the adult club.
“The roof has become unsafe as a result of the fire,” the spokesperson said. “It’s unsafe for crews to be on the roof or in the building.”
Crews initially accessed the roof and battled the fire with multiple lines while searching the building.
No occupants were found and no injuries have been reported.
While Toronto Fire said the bulk of the blaze had been extinguished as of 10:30 a.m., a stretch of Yonge St. remained closed as of early Sunday afternoon.
Yonge was closed between Dundas St. E. and Gerrard St. E.. Additionally, westbound Gerrard St. E. was closed at Church St.
Drivers were being asked to use alternate routes.
As of mid-morning, the fire had largely been extinguished, however, there was still some smoke in the area, a spokesperson said.
The circumstances surrounding what caused the fire were not immediately known.
Opened about 75 years ago
The iconic Zanzibar first opened as a restaurant in 1949. Late owner David Cooper purchased the business with a family member in the 1960s and slowly transformed the establishment from a live music venue into a strip club.
Cooper died in 2019 at age 84, and the tavern is still owned and operated by the Cooper family.