India, Aug. 3 -- A large fire erupted at the Centennial Mills warehouse on Naito Parkway in downtown Portland, Oregon on Sunday afternoon. The blaze tore through the abandoned structure that has been standing at the heart of downtown Portland for ages, sparking a massive response by the Portland Fire Department.

The Portland Fire Department said in a post on social media that they are responding at the location on Naito parkway near Fremont Bridge.

The department said that there is a "heavy fire" on the first floor which is now extending into the second floor. "Thus is an unsafe building meaning no interior firefighting activity will occur," the department said. "Only exterior defensive actions."

The smoke was seen by residents across ...