Fire spreads from construction site to nearby townhouses in Vancouver

A large three-alarm fire that began atan apartment building under construction spread to neighbouring townhouses in Vancouver's Marpole neighbourhood on Thursday evening.

According to Assistant Chief Brian Bertuzzi of Vancouver Fire and Rescue Services, the blaze had already engulfed three floors ofthe development at West 62nd Avenue and Columbia Street when firefighters arrived at around 5:45 p.m.

Bertuzzi said the heat allowed the fire to spread to the townhouse complex to the west.

"Everybody has been evacuated and accounted for," he said.

Photos from the scene show large flames shooting into the sky from the building under construction.

One unit in the townhouse complex was damaged in the fire, but no one was injured. Bertuzzisaid there's no indication yet about how the fire started.

It took 40 firefighters about an hour to knock down the flames.