Fire contained at Manhattan cathedral

Smoke billows from the historic Cathedral of St. John the Divine

NEW YORK (CNN) -- Firefighters contained a five-alarm fire at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine Tuesday morning, the New York Fire Department said.

There were no reports of any injuries.

Fire officials said it was still unclear what caused the fire, which apparently started in the gift shop area. The fire engulfed the east side of the cathedral, which spans an entire block between Amsterdam Avenue and Morningside Avenue in Manhattan.

Firefighters contained the fire about three hours after it started.

CNN's Maria Hinojosa said the fire began around 6:42 a.m. EST and as many as 200 firefighters were on the scene. Huge plumes of smoke covered the area, forcing officials to close off surrounding streets.

For New Yorkers, the cathedral is a significant landmark and serves as a school, concert hall and cultural center.

The only event canceled at the cathedral was 8:30 a.m. Mass, said Neva Rae Fox, a spokeswoman for the New York Episcopal Diocese. She said the school located near the cathedral on Amsterdam Avenue at 112th Street had not been damaged. A recorded message said the school was closed as a result of the fire.

"As far as our Christmas schedule, we need to figure out where we are and what the damage is," Fox said, explaining that a variety of choruses and services are scheduled over the next week. "That decision will probably be made later on today."

Construction on the medieval-style Episcopal cathedral began in the late 19th century and renovation of the facility has been ongoing since.