Gas lines tampered with in Mission

Mission RCMP are investigating two incidents of mischief to natural gas infrastructure in Mission.

Around 2 pm on September 8, Mission RCMP were notified of a reported gas leak in the area of 2nd Avenue and Welton Street. Soon afterwards, the Mission Fire Rescue Service confirmed that they had located a gas line that had been tampered with at the construction site of an apartment building being built at 33230 2nd Avenue. Police searched the building and found that two small fires had also been set inside the building, multiple sink and bathroom faucets had been turned on – flooding several floors of the building - and the thermostats and ovens in several units had been turned all the way up. A police dog was brought in to search the building, but no one was found inside.

About two hours later, another gas leak was reported, this one in the alleyway north of 1st Avenue, between Grand Street and James Street. Multiple fittings had been removed from a gas meter serving one of the businesses along 1st Avenue. No suspects were located in the area.

No motive for these incidents of mischief and arson has been identified. Investigators are still in the process of canvassing for any other CCTV footage in the area. Anyone with information about either of these incidents is asked to contact Mission RCMP. If you see someone tampering with a gas meter, call 911. If you smell rotten eggs or a sulphurous odour, immediately go outside and call 911 or Fortis BC.