A large fire at McMunn and Yates Building Supplies in Steinbach drew many spectators along Highway 12 Saturday evening.

Steinbach Fire Chief Kel Toews says his crews were called to the blaze around 6:30 P.M.

“The initial call was for alarms sounding. When we got here, there was smoke pouring out of the front of the building already so it was fully involved and we assumed a defensive fire right away. We were not sending someone into that kind of a situation. We are probably here all night.”

Toews says they brought in an excavator to tear off the facade of the building so that his firefighters could get to the hot spots. He notes the cause of the fire is still unknown.

“Our primary concern right now is putting it out and then us along with the fire commissioner will try and determine the cause.”

Small crowds of people could be seen gathering in the Dairy Queen parking lot as vehicles parked on the shoulder up and down Highway 12. Toews says fortunately the RCMP have done a great job of keeping people away and the traffic safe.

Toews adds the Hanover Fire Department was also called in to assist with the fire. The Office of the Fire Commissioner has been notified and is expected to arrive sometime Sunday morning.