BC Hydro admits it knew about high-risk vault years before February explosion

BC Hydro has admitted it was aware that an underground electrical vault was high-risk seven years before it exploded in downtown Vancouver.

The public utility’s president Chris O'Riley apologized for the blast last February, saying a third-party investigation found the fire and explosion was caused by a buildup of gases from a leaking gasket in the lid of an oil-filled switch.

“This was caused by incompatible materials when the gasket was repaired and maintained over time,” O’Riley told reporters Thursday.

The fireball happened in front of the historic Marine Building on Burrard Street near Hastings, blowing out windows, and leaving two people with cuts and facial burns.

A coffee shop and restaurant in the building have since been closed.

“I want to sincerely apologize to the individuals that were injured, and to the businesses that were impacted, as well as the people who live and work in the area,” said O’Riley.

He says 14 vaults, including the one on Burrard Street that exploded, were identified as high risk in 2016 by BC Hydro's own assessment, which said failure to replace them could result in severe injury or death.

The assessment recommended the vault be updated by 2018, and while the utility says it moved to do so, that was delayed so it could upgrade another nearby vault.

“There is no excuse for us not having acted sooner,” said O’Riley.

The Crown-owned company says it has decommissioned the 13 other vaults that were identified in 2016, so they no longer present a risk.

O'Riley says a review of other street vault equipment is underway, with the first phase expected to be completed by this summer and the second phase complete by March 2024.

"It’s really important the public have confidence in our infrastructure, that’s something the public has had confidence in,” O'Riley said. “We recognize that's been damaged by this incident, and it's our responsibility to rebuild that.”

With files from the Canadian Press.