"The City of South Bend is deeply saddened by the fire at the Lafayette Building and the damage sustained to this historic structure. The Lafayette Building represents an important part of our community’s heritage, and we regret the loss and impact this incident will have on the surrounding area.

We are grateful for the swift and professional response of the South Bend Fire Department and first responders, whose efforts helped contain the fire and protect neighboring properties. Most importantly, we are thankful that no injuries were reported and that residents and responders remained safe.

The South Bend Fire Department is actively investigating the cause of the fire. In coordination with appropriate authorities and structural experts, the City will also assess the integrity of the building to determine the next steps.

 The City Redevelopment Commission currently is the owner of the building. The City and RDC had been pursuing possible redevelopment partners and projects, but no active deal or partners are in place at this time. We will continue to share updates with the public as more information becomes available."

UPDATE TWO: The South Bend Fire Department reports the fire at the Lafayette Building was marked as under control around 11 a.m., Monday.

Fire officials say 25 to 30 emergency personnel remain on scene as of 12:20 p.m. to work on hotspots.

No civilians or firefighters were injured, officials say.

The fire's cause remains under investigation.

The public is asked to continue avoiding the downtown area.

UPDATE: According to the South Bend Fire Department, as of 10:20 a.m., firefighters are beginning to get the fire under control. 

They say the roof has collapsed in several areas. It was unoccupied at the time of the fire. The department says there are no reported injuries to firefighters.

ORIGINAL STORY: SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- The South Bend Fire Department is fighting a fire that broke out at the historic Lafayette Building in downtown South Bend Monday morning.

The call for this commercial fire in the 100 block of South Lafayette Boulevard came in around 8:19 a.m. Monday.

As of 8:38 a.m., no injuries have been reported and crews remain on scene.

People are asked to avoid this area of downtown South Bend while the fire is being contained.