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A major explosion at a Coquitlam strip mall early Sunday morning has left the building in tatters.
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The blast at 341 North Rd. near Lougheed Highway blew out the entire front facing of the mall.
Coquitlam RCMP Const. John Graham said Coquitlam Fire Rescue Services called its officers shortly before 6:30 a.m. about a fire.
He said police helped with traffic management and closed the road for hours on Sunday morning, but it has fully reopened.
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Police and the fire department will investigate, but Graham said it is too early to speculate about a cause. He said no injuries have been reported.
Realtor Emily Oh said she went to check on her office in the building about two hours after the fire when she got a call from her landlord, and remained on site all morning.
Oh said the front of her unit was “completely destroyed” and that she was told by a firefighter the sprinklers had activated, likely causing water damage.
“I’m eager to get inside to see if my computers are OK,” said Oh, but said no one is being let inside. She was told security will be posted at least overnight to keep everyone out.
Oh said it’s too early to decide whether she’ll need to relocate, and said that decision depends on how long the building remains uninhabitable.
A firefighter at the scene, Coquitlam Fire Rescue Services assistant chief Sandro Bonifazi, told CTV News that first responders saw black smoke coming from one of the units and it appears there had been an explosion there.
The mall also includes an optometry clinic, karaoke bar, a cafe and several storefront restaurants.
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