THE major fire that broke out in an abandoned hat factory in central Sydney and forced emergency services to evacuate neighboring apartment buildings, was brought under control by firefighters with no casualties reported.

More than 120 firefighters with 30 vehicles battled the blaze at the seven-storey building this afternoon (local time) near Sydney’s Central train station, according to the New South Wales Fire and Rescue Services Commissioner. Jeremy Futrell.

Hundreds of people, leaving the busy train station, watched from a safe distance as the walls of the burning building collapsed onto the streets, which had earlier been cordoned off by emergency services personnel.

Futrell told a news conference that the fire has been brought under control, but it will take hours to fully extinguish it. Residents were evacuated from the surrounding buildings and there were no injuries, he added.

Burning debris also fell on the roof of a neighboring building, according to television images. Firefighters extinguished small fires that had broken out in nearby buildings, Futrell said.

A New South Wales Ambulance Service spokesman said 10 units were at the scene.