Investigation into cause and origin of Finnish Labour Temple blaze won't start until fire is fully out

Fire crews continue their efforts to fully extinguish the fire that devastated the Finnish Labour Temple building, nearly 24 hours after the blaze was first reported.

The fire broke out Wednesday night, ripping through the upper levels and roof of the century-old building on Bay Street. The building was widely known for being the home of the Hoito Restaurant, one of Thunder Bay's most iconic eateries.

Visible damage to the building is extensive. The roof partially collapsed and the unmistakable cupola on the front of the building came down after being engulfed in flames. 

"As portions of the building collapse, there are still smaller areas of the building that may be on fire and as we see a bit of smoke here and there, they still are on fire," city fire chief Greg Hankkio said on Thursday afternoon. 

"Our goal is to ensure the fire is totally out before we move it into an investigation."

It's too early to make a determination on the cause of the fire and its origin, Hankkio said, adding the fire needs to be completely out before the investigation can start.

A drone was being used on Thursday for thermal imaging to help direct the ongoing firefighting efforts.

The fire chief said it's also too soon to assess whether any adjacent buildings have been damaged.

Hankkio said the cold overnight weather, along with the building being an older wood-frame structure and a heavy fire load, made for challenging conditions for firefighters.

"Fire crews did an incredible job of trying to attack the fire for a long period of time from the interior until they were forced to retreat and take a defensive position on the fire and attack the fire from the outside," Hankkio said.

The Office of the Fire Marshal will be involved in the eventual investigation. Investigator Jon Mercier said the financial impact and the cultural loss to the city are factors in the organization's involvement.

Mercier said it will likely be several days before the necessary resources are available to start the investigation.

Hankkio said the importance of the building to the city isn't lost on the firefighters.

"We recognize that it has a huge impact on the community and people are attached to this building," Hankkio said.

Thunder Bay Mayor Bill Mauro said the building was a community hub for over 100 years.

"There have been so many memories created at the Hoito and Finlandia Club, and this tragedy will be felt by the entire community, as well as nationally and internationally, for many years to come," Mauro said in a written statement.

Construction of the building began in 1909. The federal government designated it as a national historic site in 2015.

The fire did not result in any injuries.