Police cars are seen parked outside Vancouver Police Department headquarters in Vancouver, on Jan. 9, 2021. (The Canadian Press/Darryl Dyck)
Emergency crews are on scene in Vancouver where a rooftop parking lot has collapsed into office space below, sending at least two people to hospital.
Asst. Chief Dan Moberg of Vancouver Fire Rescue says structural supports are being set up so crews can start removing debris and searching the building for others.
That step had to wait for engineers to assess the damage created when an area of about nine by 12 metres caved in around 1 p.m.
Moberg says construction involving drilling on a section of the parking lot was underway when it collapsed.
The incident has closed Lougheed Highway between Rupert Street and Boundary Road, a major route for traffic.
Emergency Health Services says the two patients were transported to hospital. It did not provide details on their condition.
Moberg says about 30 firefighters attended the scene alongside police, while EHS said four paramedic ground units responded.
Vancouver Police declined to comment, saying it’s an unfolding incident with multiple agencies responding and it will provide updates when it has more specific information.
WorkSafeBC, the provincial workers’ safety agency, says it has launched an investigation to identify the cause of the incident, including contributing factors.
By Amy Smart
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