Firefighters spent the night battling a major fire in Toronto that gutted a warehouse where several artists have studios.

The blaze broke out at about 1:30 a.m. Thursday in a boarded-up house located on Dupont Street near Dovercourt Road, near the intersection of Dufferin Street and Bloor Street West.

Fire gutted the warehouse after spreading from an attached building.
(Geoff Ellwand/CBC)

It then spread to an attached warehouse-type building housing several artists' studios. 

"This fire went very quickly from a second-alarm all the way to a five-alarm fire," said platoon chief Larry Fry.

Fry said he is concerned one of the warehouse's walls might collapse. About 120 firefighters fought the blaze and managed to get it under control by early morning.

About 120 firefighters battled the five-alarm blaze.
(Geoff Ellwand/CBC)

One artist, who kept his collection of works in the warehouse, told reporters his entire life's work had been destroyed.

Residents were removed from surrounding homes as a precaution.

There are no reported injuries.

Ontario's fire marshal is on the scene investigating the cause of the fire.

Dupont Street is expected to be closed between Dovercourt Road and Dufferin Street until noon.