Downtown Explosion Gives People the Day Off

A fire under a downtown Vancouver street has cut off power in a five-block radius and forced the partial evacuation of some buildings on Monday.

The fire started when underground power lines caught fire and caused an explosion beneath Richards Street, between West Pender and Dunsmuir streets, around 9 a.m. PT.

The explosion blew a manhole cover into the air and filled the business district with smoke, but fire officials said the smoke was not toxic. The fire was extinguished around noon.

A nearby hotel was partially evacuated, along with the nearby Waterfront SkyTrain station and SeaBus terminal, but both services continued to operate as passengers were allowed in and out of the building.

Fire officials said the cause of the fire is still unknown, but it is under control, despite heavy smoke still wafting through the area.

BC Hydro officials warned power may be out for much of the day for the east area of downtown bounded by Water Street, Cordova Street, Burrard Street, Nelson Street and Main Street.

Traffic lights were out throughout much of the downtown and police were asking drivers to avoid the entire area.