Temporary ER open at Mission hospital after burst pipe, flood

The ER at Mission Memorial Hospital is closed due to a burst pipe.

A temporary emergency department has been opened at Mission Memorial Hospital after B.C.’s cold snap caused pipes to burst and flood the ER, Fraser Health said in an update Tuesday.

Patients were evacuated Saturday after stagnant water gushed from pressurized sprinkler pipes that ruptured in the department.

Over the weekend, people needing emergency care were diverted to hospitals in Abbotsford and Maple Ridge.

Fraser Health said the temporary ER within the hospital will offer the same services as the regular one. Patients can access it through the hospital’s main entrance.

The health authority said the temporary ER will stay open until remediation work on the regular ER is complete, but did not provide a timeline for repairs.

“We appreciate the dedication of our staff, medical staff and facilities management staff and their quick work in establishing the temporary Emergency Department,” Fraser Health wrote in its update.

With files from CTV News Vancouver’s Penny Daflos