Several businesses on Vancouver's west side severely damaged in an overnight fire

Several businesses on Vancouver's west side have been severely damaged in an overnight fire.

Flames broke out at about 2 a.m. in an older building (on Cambie Street, just north of 25th Avenue) and quickly swept through as many as five shops, including a cafe, dry cleaner and possibly a pharmacy and pet-boarding facility.

Firefighters rescued several cats from the pet business and worked past dawn to keep the flames from jumping concrete walls protecting a newer building to the north and several smaller shops on the south side.

No one has been hurt, a cause of the blaze is under investigation, and Vancouver Fire and Rescue says that section of usually busy Cambie Street will be closed for much of the day because of the extent of the damage.