Residents at an Indigenous housing building in Vernon were evacuated due to a fire that broke out Tuesday afternoon. 

Crews responded to the fire at Thunderbird Manor 2 on 27th Avenue around 4:30 p.m. Dec. 17. 

It was believed to be a small fire, contained to a single storage room, according to Karen Gerein, executive director of the Vernon Native Housing Society, which owns and operates the building. 

Residents were evacuated from the building for a brief period while Vernon Fire Rescue Services crews attended.

"Upon arrival crews found a fire that was extinguished by the sprinkler system in a storage room located on the main floor," said city of Vernon communications officer Josh Winquist.

Minor damage was caused by the fire, but water damage impacted the room as the sprinkler system flooded it to extinguish the blaze.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.