Explosion in Langley, B.C., mall parking lot not suspicious, RCMP say

An explosion that shocked shoppers outside a mall in Langley, B.C., on Wednesday does not appear to be suspicious, according to the RCMP.

Pictures and videos of the aftermath show the smouldering wreckage of a vehicle in the parking lot of Willoughby Town Centre, with glass and other debris strewn across nearby stalls.

The blast also appears to have damaged multiple vehicles and nearby buildings. 

Langley RCMP said no injuries have been reported, and that the explosion was likely connected to construction work. 

"We believe the cause is associated to a welding truck at the construction site," Cpl. Craig van Herk told CTV News in an email.

Witnesses said they heard the blast from several blocks away, and came to the parking lot to see what happened. 

Jonathan Houwelling, who owns a nearby pizza restaurant, described the tense moments after the explosion erupted.

“The whole building just shakes – artwork fell off our walls, everything fell off the walls,” he said. “I see a giant plume of smoke coming right from 50 feet from here."

Houwelling said the driver had a tank of compressed gas inside, and narrowly escaped disaster.

“He was maybe five, 10 metres away and (the vehicle) just disintegrated,” he said.

“There was damage everywhere, pieces of his van were all over the neighbourhood here."

A spokesperson from WorkSafeBC told CTV News an officer attended the scene, but could not provide any further information