A fire of alarming speed and intensity consumed the old Mercer & Holt warehouse at Greystone Wharf in the early hours of Wednesday morning, reducing one of the Docklands’ most recognizable structures to a charred shell and sending thick columns of black smoke across the waterfront that were visible from as far away as Thornhill.

The Bobington Fire Brigade responded to the alarm at approximately 2:15 a.m. and escalated to a three-alarm response within minutes of arrival. More than sixty firefighters from four stations battled the blaze for nearly five hours before bringing it under control shortly after dawn.

Four firefighters sustained injuries, none believed to be life-threatening. Battalion Chief Cora Whitmore reported that two were treated for smoke inhalation and two for minor burns at St. Dunstan’s Hospital, where all four were listed in satisfactory condition by midday.

A Docklands Landmark

The Mercer & Holt warehouse, built in 1882, was among the last of the great Victorian-era commercial buildings that once lined the Greystone waterfront. Its distinctive red-brick facade and cast-iron columns had made it a favorite subject of painters and photographers, and the Bobington Historical Preservation Society had listed it among the city’s most endangered heritage structures.

The building had been vacant for approximately eighteen months following a dispute between its owner, the Ashcroft Property Group, and the city over unpaid tax assessments. Neighbors had reported broken windows and signs of unauthorized entry in recent months, raising concerns about the security of the vacant structure.

Investigation Underway

Fire Marshal Edwin Hale said an investigation into the cause of the blaze is underway but declined to speculate on its origin. When asked whether arson was being considered, Hale replied only that “all possibilities remain open at this stage.”

Councilwoman Ida Pryce, whose district includes the Docklands, called for an immediate review of inspection protocols for vacant commercial properties. “This fire was a tragedy,” Pryce said. “But it was also, in all likelihood, a preventable one.”