Dozens of residents were forced from their homes overnight after a large fire broke out at an apartment building in Middle Sackville.

Halifax Regional Fire and Emergency says crews were called to the four-storey building on Hanwell Drive just after midnight Monday.

Firefighters arrived to find heavy flames and quickly began evacuating the building and surrounding homes.

Officials say everyone was safely removed from the building and no injuries have been reported.

Because of the size of the fire and the close proximity to another apartment complex and nearby homes, the municipality issued an emergency alert around 2:30 a.m. Residents in civic numbers 25 through 119 Hanwell Drive were told to evacuate.

The cause of the fire has not yet been determined, and emergency crews are asking people to avoid the area as they continue to respond.