Halifax’s firefighting union is calling on HRM for more resources after a very active weekend.

According to a statement from the Halifax Professional Fire Fighters, a 3rd alarm fire at the site of Bloomfield School, Sunday morning, took up nearly half of their resources for that day, with 44 crew members called to the scene.

The fire broke out at 2 a.m., at the abandoned building on Agricola Street and “escalated quickly”.

No injuries were reported, and it is still being investigated.

However, it was only one of “several major incidents” that happened over a 24-hour period.

Firefighters had to tackle another structure fire, multiple HAZMAT calls, as well as regular emergencies all while dealing with unfavorable weather conditions.

“[They] battled through bitter cold, contending with freezing handlines, frozen air packs, and difficult access to the structure, all while working tirelessly to protect lives and property.”

The union says, although they “recognize and appreciate” the investments Halifax Council has made in fire staffing over the past eight years, it’s not enough.

“These investments have strengthened our response capabilities, and we are grateful for their continued support in building a more resilient fire service. We must continue to add staff response capabilities to meet the demands of our growing city.”