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

A restaurant, boutique, salon and costume shop are among the businesses believed to have been destroyed in an early morning fire. Firefighters battle a blaze in downtown Vernon, B.C., in a Tuesday, July 4, 2023, handout photo. THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO-City of Vernon

Vernon, B.C. -

A restaurant, boutique, salon and costume shop are among the businesses believed to have been destroyed in an early morning fire in downtown Vernon, B.C.

Flames broke out in the commercial building at about 2:30 a.m., blanketing the downtown core of the north Okanagan city with thick smoke.

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

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.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 4, 2023.