Fire crews called to utility vault explosion, car fire in downtown Vancouver
Posted January 5, 2021 5:09 pm.
Last Updated January 6, 2021 3:09 am.
VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) — An explosion in an underground utility vault rocked a small part of downtown Vancouver Tuesday afternoon, sending chunks of concrete into the air.
Police and fire crews are looking into the explosion as well as a nearby car fire.
Johnathan Gormick with Vancouver Fire Rescue Services says crews were called to Pacific and Granville streets around 3 p.m. to reports of the fire and explosion about 30 metres apart.
Crews & Fire Investigtor remain on scene at Granville/Pacific determining the cause of a vehicle fire and adjacent explosion. Granville between Pacific & Beach will be closed during investigation & cleanup- avoid area. Thanks for your patience. pic.twitter.com/99m4K53aJG
— Vancouver Fire Rescue Services (@VanFireRescue) January 6, 2021
“The proximity and the timing of the two incidents would probably indicate they’re connected somehow,” he says, explaining it will have to be confirmed by BC Hydro, Vancouver Police, and the fire investigators.
“The car fire did occur above what looks like an access point to a utility vault.”
The explosion sent several big pieces of concrete sidewalk flying and damaged nearby parked cars.
“If it would have hit somebody, it would have really injured them,” Gormick says. “We’re lucky that no one was standing anywhere nearby when the explosion happened.”
Police and fire crews are still on scene investigating an explosion in an underground utility vault in downtown #Vancouver that sent concrete flying into the air. @CityNewsVAN @NEWS1130 pic.twitter.com/qa6GdE5CWf
— Ashley Burr (@AshleyBurr_) January 6, 2021
While the investigation is still happening, Gormick says it isn’t likely anyone tried to get into the utility vault, which he says is essentially an underground access point for gas, hydro, and telecom cables.
“It’s essentially like a giant manhole,” he says. “I can’t think of a case where we’ve ever had someone breaking into a utility vault.”
Gormick notes the vaults are underground and locked, and all that’s in there is wires.
