Crews battle a large fire at an auto shop in downtown Edmonton. (Andrea Huncar/CBC)

A large fire gutted an historic building in downtown Edmonton on Sunday.

Crews were called to the Edmonton Auto Spring Works building, at 102 Avenue and 95 Street, at approximately 2:15 p.m. MT after reports of smoke and flames coming out of the building.

More than 55 firefighters worked to contain the blaze.

No one was injured in the fire but the building, built in 1904, was destroyed. The interior was severely damaged and the roof collapsed. Damage has been estimated at $2.5 million.

Onlooker Glenda Dennis mourned the loss of the building, which carried a heritage designation.

"I've driven by this building for years and I always look at it and think, 'Wouldn't it be fabulous to renovate that building and turn it into … a small market or a restaurant.' It's just a great old building," she said.

"Every time I drive by it I think, 'God, I wish somebody would do something about that building.' And I guess something's been done about that building. It's such a shame because it just has so much character."

While the building was originally used as an auto shop it's not clear what the building was being used for at the time of the fire. However, police did say it was in use.

Richard Stuart was driving by when he saw the smoke, and stopped to watch crews battle the blaze.

"It really is unfortunate because it's a great old building, one of the last buildings — probably one of the oldest ones in this area," he said.

The cause of the blaze is under investigation.