Large fire breaks out near Alex Fraser Bridge in North Delta

A plume of smoke could be seen in parts of Metro Vancouver after a large fire broke out near the Alex Fraser Bridge Thursday.

A large fire burning in an industrial area east of the Alex Fraser Bridge in North Delta sent a plume of smoke into the air along the Fraser River Thursday morning.

The Vancouver Fraser Port Authority confirmed that the fire was burning “at the site of a former mill under demolition” on port-owned land.

“The fire department is on site responding, and there are currently no impacts to port operations,” a spokesperson said in an email to CTV News.

Images from the scene in the 9300 block of Alaska Way show smoke billowing into the air as crews work to contain the flames, which can be seen erupting from the centre of a large warehouse.

Delta Fire and Emergency Services told CTV News it was called to the scene around 9:10 a.m., and crews from Surrey also responded to the blaze.

In all, approximately 30 firefighters and nine apparatus from Delta battled the fire, along with six apparatus from Surrey, the Delta department said.

Crews had brought the fire under control by early afternoon, but were still working to fully extinguish it as of 1:30 p.m.

“There have been no reports of any injuries or missing occupants and the cause of the fire remains undetermined at this time,” the department said.

Metro Vancouver posted on social media that it is monitoring air quality as a result of the blaze, which burned on the south shore of the river, opposite Annacis Island.

DriveBC said the bridge and Highway 17 remained “open and unaffected” by the blaze.

B.C. Emergency Health Services told CTV News it dispatched two ambulances to the scene around 9:10 a.m., but no patients required transportation.

Likewise, the Delta Police Department said it was part of the initial response to the fire and helped with “containment,” but soon cleared the scene.