grain elevator

A fire at the grain elevator in the south end of Halifax has been put out after hours of “complex and difficult” battle with the flames.

Crews responded Monday night to a fire at the grain elevator on Marginal Road with a response that Halifax Regional Fire and Emergency (HRFE) described as “significant”.

In a social media post just before 10 p.m., Halifax Fire says there were 56 firefighters and 20 apparatus involved.

HRFE arrived on the scene shortly after 8 p.m., and fought the blaze into the early morning.

”Crews working to contain the fire and protect the nearby vessel while navigating the challenges presented by the industrial infrastructure and elevated firefighting operations.”

The blaze took hours to bring down, with firefighters remaining on scene until just after 1 a.m.. A spokesperson for the fire union said the work was “extremely complex”, and that crews worked hard under “a difficult circumstance”.

In a post on social media at around 9 p.m., Halifax Professional Fire Fighters said there were multiple crews working inside the structure to contain the blaze.

The union says HRFE Fire Chief Deryn Rizzi was on scene overseeing operations.

HRFE said it was about 135 feet above ground.

“Within the facility’s dust management system, presenting significant access and tactical consideration.”

At it’s peak, the fire was considered a three-alarm response, meaning a large-scale severe emergency requiring a significant response. The risk level has since been reduced.

HRFE says they’ve left gear like hoses on site in case of a potential flare-up, and that fire investigative services are looking into the cause of the fire.

Residents are still being asked to avoid the area.