Richmond : In Richmond, B.C., a fire near River Rock Casino filled the sky with towering black smoke on Thursday evening. Firefighters battled the blaze in a warehouse and on a nearby bridge over the Fraser River’s north arm near Oak Street Bridge until early Friday morning. The fire posed challenges due to the area’s terrain and materials involved.
The Oak Street Bridge temporarily closed, but operations at Vancouver International Airport remained unaffected. Authorities suspect the bridge, due to its age and smell, may have contained creosote.
As of Friday morning, crews continued to spray water on the charred bridge while Metro Vancouver issued an air quality bulletin. The district reported that air quality has improved in the vicinity of the extinguished blaze, with monitoring ongoing and updates expected.