Fire breaks out on roof of historic theater building in Tacoma, Washington

A fire broke out on the roof of a historic theater building in downtown Tacoma, Washington, sending flames and heavy smoke above the structure before firefighters brought it under control, according to fire officials.

The fire was reported at about 4:19 p.m. local time on Tuesday in the 00 block of St. Helens Avenue, where crews found what appeared to be a roof fire, according to the Tacoma Fire Department. The department asked people to avoid the area while crews were working.

Footage from the scene showed flames burning through the roof of the Temple Theatre building, with a large plume of smoke rising from the top of the structure.

The fire was upgraded to a 2-alarm response, though the fire department said it appeared to be contained to a deck on top of the building. By 5 p.m., officials said the fire was under control, with crews remaining at the scene to search for hot spots.

The building at 47 St. Helens Avenue is part of Tacoma’s historic downtown core and has been known over the years as the Masonic Temple Building, the Temple Theater and other names. It was built in 1927 and added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1993.

The building originally served local Masonic lodges and was later converted for commercial use as a catering and convention center.

The cause of the fire was not immediately known. Officials have not released details about the extent of the damage.