Fire damages several businesses, forces evacuation in downtown Vernon, B.C.

Firefighters remain on the scene of a major structure fire in the downtown core of Vernon, B.C., that broke out early Tuesday morning.

According to the municipality, Vernon Fire Rescue Services were dispatched to the blaze on the 2800-block of 30th Street at around 2:30 a.m. PT.

The Canadian Press reported that a restaurant, boutique, salon and costume shop are among the businesses believed to have been destroyed in the early morning fire.

The single-storey complex has been heavily damaged, prompting the owner of the Okanagan Eatery, one of the affected businesses, to post a photo of the flames online, writing, "Wow, no words. Guess that's it."

A statement from the City of Vernon statement said crews have contained the fire, keeping it from spreading to nearby buildings.

No injuries have been reported, but the city says the 19-unit Kekuli Centre, which houses homeless and at-risk residents, was evacuated as a precaution, while streets surrounding the blaze were expected to be closed for hours.

B.C. Hydro crews were on scene to restore electricity to buildings that lost power, the city said.

At 4 p.m. Tuesday, the city said heavy equipment was brought in to demolish the walls of the building that was consumed in flames earlier that day.

"Demolition of the building is expected to be complete by 8 p.m. [Tuesday], and then the site will be fenced and secured," a city statement read.

Residents were advised earlier Tuesday to turn off their air-conditioning units and close their windows. 

"Because of the rise in scope of the fire, it has been sending up large plumes of smoke throughout the night," city spokesperson Christy Poirier said on Tuesday morning. "We have experienced heavy smoke drifting across a good portion of the community."

 The city says ongoing work will mean that 30th Street will remain closed overnight on Wednesday between 28th and 30th Avenue, and it will re-open Wednesday morning. 

A statement from the city says all its available fire resources responded and firefighters from the nearby Armstrong Spallumcheen Fire Department also assisted.

The cause of the fire is under investigation, but deputy fire chief Alan Hofsink says it is considered suspicious.