Rudely Awakened....

This explains why there were choppers hovering over our building at 3:30am! I live on Ash St. 1 block up from Broadway and can see the mess on Broadway from my living room window. It's going to be an interesting day!

Explosion rocks Broadway

Store fronts blown out in 2:30 a.m. explosion and fire at Broadway and Heather that police are calling suspicious

VANCOUVER - Police and fire crews are investigating a suspicious overnight explosion and fire in the 600-block West Broadway in Vancouver that blew out the storefronts of several businesses.

The force of the blast was enough to damage a bus stop in front of the stores and break the glass windows of a London Drugs across the street. A Starbucks and a Taco Del Mar restaurant were damaged in the blast.

Police spokesman Tim Fanning said it's believed the fire started inside or just outside the Taco Del Mar restaurant and an arson investigation is underway.

Residents in the area say they were awakened by the noise at around 2:30 a.m.

So far, there have been no reports of injuries.

At least five business were damaged by the explosion and shattered glass was spread for about half a block.

Police on the scene said they are treating the explosion as suspicious, but fire investigators are also investigating the possibility it could have been a gas explosion.

Police say West Broadway will be closed between Ash and Willow Streets for the remainder of the morning, and all cars and buses are being rerouted around the scene.