(Bloomberg) -- A fire in a shipping container forced Port Metro Vancouver, Canada’s largest port, to halt operations on the south shore of the city’s inner harbor.

The Centerm container terminal and some nearby port properties were evacuated after the fire broke out early Wednesday afternoon, John Parker-Jervis, a port spokesman, said in a statement. The shutdown includes rail and truck access to that part of the port.

Material inside the container is a hazardous organic compound called trichloroisocyanuric acid, Parker-Jervis said, citing local health officials.

“Vancouver Fire and Vancouver Coastal Health are on site and actively determining if any additional evacuations are required,” he said in the statement.

Earlier, Vancouver police said people living in eastern Vancouver, downwind from the fire, were advised to stay indoors and to keep their windows closed.

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To contact the editors responsible for this story: Simon Casey at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Carlos Caminada