Fire at Oakridge construction site sends black smoke billowing into Vancouver skies

Firefighters in Vancouver are investigating after a fire at a construction site in the Oakridge area sent a tower of black smoke into the skies on Saturday afternoon.

Firefighters responded around 3:30 p.m. to multiple reports of black smoke and flames at the site off West 41st Avenue and Cambie Street where multiple high-rises are under construction.

Ken Gemmill, assistant fire chief with Vancouver Fire Rescue Services, told CBC News that about 40 crew in nine fire trucks quickly extinguished the blaze.

No one was injured in the fire.

Gemmill said the fire appeared to originate from a courtyard atop a parkade.

That type of roof requires a membrane that must be torched on, which could have caused the fire, Gemmill said.

"It looks to appear to be a bunch of burning construction debris and torch-on roofing, hence why the smoke was so black," said Gemmill. "They extinguished it within minutes, which was great."

There wasn't much damage to the construction site, he added.

Investigators were on scene shortly after 4:30 p.m. to determine the cause of the fire.

Gemmill said it did not appear to be suspicious.