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A five-alarm fire raged through the Édifice Robillard in Montreal’s Chinatown area Thursday.

Smoke billowing in Chinatown, downtown & parts of Old #Montreal. >100 firefighters continue battling 5 alarm blaze. pic.twitter.com/QHvEQfx8n9 — Tim Sargeant (@tfsargeant) November 17, 2016

“It’s a very sad loss. Whatever the source of this disaster is, somehow, Montreal has lost a gracious building. A historic building,” said Dinu Bumbaru with Heritage Montreal.

Firefighters still battling the blaze that destroyed a historic building in Montreal's Chinatown pic.twitter.com/d3deSh9VH1 — Amanda Jelowicki (@JelowickiGlobal) November 17, 2016

The blaze broke out around 11:15 a.m. in the historic building, located on 974 Saint-Laurent Boulevard, between de la Gauchetière and Viger streets.

It took more than 100 firefighters several hours to control the flames.

5 alarm fire downtown presently. pic.twitter.com/G8vrU9BFHD — Chris Ross (@chrisvpross) November 17, 2016

“For now, the cause is unknown,” Montreal police spokesperson Jean-Pierre Brabant told Global News. Tweet This

There were no injuries, however dozens of people were forced to evacuate neighbouring buildings.

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“Just heard firemen a few minutes ago,” Twitter user Nadia told Global News.

L'incendie à son plus fort. Les pompiers ont maintenant repris le contrôle. pic.twitter.com/ltSIVnYXgV — Marc-Antoine Pouliot (@pouma_) November 17, 2016

Le feu du quartier chinois semble hors contrôle pic.twitter.com/P2Doxkp0O1 — Marc-Antoine Pouliot (@pouma_) November 17, 2016

Marc-Antoine Pouliot, who works close by, posted a picture of the flames and smoke on Twitter, writing “the fire in Chinatown looks out of control.”

Investigators said they won’t enter the building to determine the cause of the fire until it is completely out.

Firefighters battle a blaze in a building in Montreal's Chinatown, Thursday, November 17, 2016. Karol Dahl/Global News Firefighters battle a blaze in a building in Montreal's Chinatown, Thursday, November 17, 2016. Karol Dahl/Global News A fire rages in a building in Montreal's Chinatown, Thursday, November 17, 2016. Karol Dahl/Global News Firefighters battle a blaze in a building in Montreal's Chinatown, Thursday, November 17, 2016. Karol Dahl/Global News Firefighters battle a blaze in a building in Montreal's Chinatown, Thursday, November 17, 2016. Karol Dahl/Global News Firefighters battle a blaze in a building in Montreal's Chinatown, Thursday, November 17, 2016. Karol Dahl/Global News

Édifice Robillard

The four-storey landmark building is best known as Canada’s first cinema house, opening in 1896, before the area was known as Chinatown.

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Constructed in the Neo-Renaissance style in 1879, it was turned into a hotel in 1890.

A year later, it housed the Gaiety Museum and Theatorium, a popular Victorian-era curios showcase.

The Édifice Robillard in 1921. Archives de la Ville de Montréal

In May 1896, it started housing the Palace Theatre, and on June 27 showed the first movies in North America.

1921 pic of Robillard building on St-Laurent Boul. corner Viger #Montreal Destroyed by fire today. https://t.co/kYFfrSmPrq — Tim Sargeant (@tfsargeant) November 17, 2016

The cinema system used a projector system developed by the Lumière brothers, using a screen the size of a towel.

The first films shown were of a train, ship, cavalry charge and the demolition of a wall.

rachel.lau@globalnews.ca

Follow @rachel_lau