Fire ravages Finnish Labour Temple, home to Thunder Bay's famous Hoito Restaurant

One of Thunder Bay's most recognizable and historic landmarks suffered devastating damage as a fire tore through the building.

Thunder Bay firefighters battled a massive fire at the century-old Finnish Labour Temple building on Bay Street on Wednesday evening. The Hoito restaurant, one of the city's most famous eateries, was located in the building's basement.

Thick smoke blanketed nearby blocks as the fire burned. Eventually, flames began showing through the roof and upper levels of the east side of the building before spreading to the front side through the turret.

Firefighters appeared to largely focus their efforts on aerial attacks, at one point having three separate elevated lines spraying on the fire.

Large crowds had gathered in the immediate area to watch as fire crews battled the blaze. Thunder Bay police issued a statement just before 10 p.m., asking members of the public to avoid the immediate area on Bay Street between Algoma and Secord streets. Police said excessive traffic was causing a safety hazard.

The building was sold last year after the Finlandia Association, which owned the property, owed more than $1 million in debt and voted to dissolve, liquidating its assets. The building was purchased for $375,000 by Brad MacKinnon, a real estate developer based in Barrie, Ont. who had ties to Thunder Bay.

The Finlandia Co-operative, which formed after the sale of the building, had reached an agreement with the new owner to reopen the Hoito next year.

The building, which was designated as a national historic site in 2015, was originally built beginning in 1909.

Derek Parks, a former Finlandia Association board member who was involved in previous efforts to save the building, was in tears as he watched flames rip through the structure.

"You're born and raised in Thunder Bay, it's part of everyone's heritage," he said. "The history of the Labour Temple, it's significant not just for the city, but the region. Across the country everyone knows the Hoito, and the story.

"You saw when we were going through the bankruptcy. All the stories that came out from people all across the country and international. That kind of global support makes you realize it was really quite an icon for our area."

Parks said he hopes the fire doesn't mean the end for the history at the site.

"This building should be a focus of getting back in some form as the symbol it is for this community," he said.

"We can build again."