Marine Vessel Fire Mission
Last updated on May 5, 2025Disclaimer:
- Information provided is based on reports received by Emergency Management and Climate Readiness (EMCR)
- Information provided is considered to be current at the time of posting, but is subject to change
Incident description
| Incident Date | May 03, 2025 |
|---|---|
| Name | DGIR: 251740 |
| Source | Fire |
| Nearest Community | Mission, B.C. |
| Spilled Content | Smoke |
| Who is involved |
Environmental Emergency Branch (EEB), Ministry of Environment and Parks (ENV), City of Nelson, Canadian Coast Guard (CCG), Western Canadian Marine Response Corporation (WCMRC), B.C. Ferries, Matsqui First Nation, First Nation Health Authority (FNHA), Fraser Valley Regional District (FVRD), Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) |
Response phase details
The responsible person or spiller is legally required to cleanup or manage the cleanup of a spill.
In incidents where the responsible person is unknown, unable or unwilling to manage the cleanup, the Ministry of Environment and Parks (ENV) may assume the role.
The updates below reflect the ministry’s oversight of the spillers’ actions. Details describe the spill response phase only and not the complete lifecycle of the spill. Visit the 'More information' page for other reports.
Updates are in reverse chronological order with the most recent at the top.
Industry-specific language may be explained in the Glossary of Terms (PDF, 106KB).
Most recent updates
May 05
In the early hours of May 3rd, 2025, the Environmental Emergency Branch (EEB) received an initial report of a marine vessel on fire, near the community of Mission in B.C.
The vessel was identified as being the Queen of Sydney, an old and abandoned B.C. Ferry.
The local Mission Fire Department were on scene the same morning. The fire department reported to EEB that the fire was large, however the fire was staying consistent and was reducing in size. The initial report from the fire department indicated that there was no pollution in the water.
A navigation warning (NAVWARN) and a shelter in place were issued for the local community. Both of these have now been rescinded.
As of today, the fire has been confirmed as out and will smolder for a few days. Response teams determined that the use of fire suppressants could cause adverse impacts to the environment and will allow the fire to completely die out naturally. The Mission Fire Department will continue to monitor the vessel 1-2 times a day.
The Canadian Coast Guard (CCG) maintain responsibility for abandoned hazardous vessels. EEB will continue to offer support to our response partners as they require it.
As the situation is under control, no further updates are expected.