SkyTrain service halted by heavy smoke in Burnaby

TransLink suspended Millennium Line service on Wednesday morning after heavy smoke and an apparent fire affected Gilmore Station in Burnaby. The transit operator halted train movements starting at 5:50 a.m. following emergency alerts posted on its official website. Additional stations including Rupert and Brentwood were also closed as a safety precaution due to the morning incident.

Trains are currently operating in split sections from VCC-Clark Station to Renfrew Station and from Lafarge Lake Station to Holdom Station. TransLink spokesperson Dan Mountain said a comprehensive bus bridge was deployed immediately to support passengers travelling through the disrupted corridor. Extra transit staff and buses were dispatched to assist commuters at Holdom, Brentwood, Gilmore, Rupert, and Renfrew stations.

Millennium Line customers travelling eastbound must transfer to shuttle bus service at Renfrew Station to continue their journeys. Passengers travelling westbound are required to transfer to connecting buses at Holdom Station. Commuters experienced significant delays during the morning rush hour as transit personnel managed the heavy passenger volumes at each transfer point.

Both the Expo Line and the Canada Line remain completely unaffected by the morning disruption and continue to provide regular service across their respective networks. TransLink indicated that a thorough technical investigation of the damaged station infrastructure is currently underway by specialized engineering teams.

Officials confirmed that the closed stations will reopen once the technical investigation is fully complete and the transit infrastructure has been cleared for safe operation. Commuters were advised to check real-time transit alerts before planning their afternoon travel through Burnaby.

The unexpected disruption drew significant attention from morning travellers relying on the rapid transit network across the Lower Mainland. Regular updates were published online to guide passengers toward available shuttle connections.