YVR operations resume after evacuation due to ‘strong gas smell’

Vancouver International Airport (YVR) says that operations have resumed at the domestic terminal after it was evacuated earlier on Wednesday due to “reports of a strong gas smell” shortly after 1 p.m.

YVR says that the RCMP and Richmond Fire and Rescue crews responded quickly and have identified and contained the source of the odour.

The cause of the gas smell was very likely due to boiler maintenance.

“We are still investigating, but it looks like it was routine maintenance on a boiler,” Airport Authority Chief Operating Officer Andrew Margolis told CityNews.

YVR is advising passengers to check with their airline before arriving at the airport. 

“There could be some minor flight delays as the influx of passengers are processed,” said YVR in a statement.

Earlier today, 1130 NewsRadio received multiple calls from affected passengers, reporting that people were waiting outside the building without their luggage.

Geoff Wong, a YVR airport shuttle bus driver, told 1130 NewsRadio that everyone working at the airport’s domestic terminal and passengers were asked to leave the building.

“It is all levels of the domestic airport,” he said.

“There is a fire truck and police crews, everybody who was in domestic is now outside, there are hundreds of people out there.”

“People look worried that they might miss their flight,” he added.

“We are moving passengers away from impacted areas out of an abundance of caution,” YVR spokesperson Chloe Reynaud told 1130 NewsRadio.

Around 2:30 p.m., YVR spokesperson Reynaud told 1130 NewsRadio that “responders are confident that the source of the issue has been identified.”

More to come.