A fire at a woodworking shop on Arthur Street north of Elmira kept about sixty firefighters from four different stations busy for hours on Tuesday.

Crews from Floradale, Elmira, St. Jacobs and Conestogo battled the blaze on one of the hottest days of the year.

The call came in shortly before 11 a.m., about the fire on the property belonging to Elbru Distributors, makers of hardwood flooring.

Firefighters say the fire began in a shop, but quickly spread.

"Within a matter of a short time, fire travelled on throughout the whole building and engulfed the whole thing," says Dennis Frey, district chief of the Floradale fire station.

About ten people were working at the time, but no one was hurt.

Witnesses say flames could be seen billowing more than 15 metres into the air.

Darrin Mueller drove to the scene, saying he could see smoke from Kitchener.

Extra precautions were taken to ensure fire crews were hydrated while fighting the flames, with a tent and refreshments brought in to help them cope.