Several businesses along Cambie Street at West 8th avenue have reopened after a bad smell was treated as a suspected gas leak this morning.

The RISE building, a condominium and retail complex, was evacuated just before 8 a.m. PT after a strong odour was detected.

Vancouver's Cambie Street was closed to traffic Tuesday morning as fire crews investigated bad smell. (Bal Brach/CBC)

Traffic was diverted around Vancouver's Cambie Street near Broadway for several hours.

Vancouver firefighters and hazmat crews investigated, but could not determine the cause of the smell.

Vancouver Fire and Rescues Services said originally they were investigating reports of a gas leak at West 7th Avenue and Yukon Street.

After ruling out a natural gas leak, crews then suspected the incident may be a chemical spill or a meth lab.

Vancouver police closed off several streets near the Cambie Bridge. (Jesara Sinclair/CBC)

Hazmat crews then searched a building at West 8th and Cambie Street without finding the source of the odour.

Traffic was allowed to resume travelling down Cambie and over the bridge by noon while the investigation continued.

Just before 2 p.m., residents and businesses were allowed back into the building.

City engineers are now taking over the investigation.

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