Mission avoided disaster on Saturday (May 3) after the derelict Queen of Sidney vessel went up in flames on the Fraser River.
The former BC Ferry, renamed “Bad Adventure”, caught fire at approximately 2 a.m., triggering a shelter-in-place advisory as the City of Mission activated its Emergency Operations Centre.
However, Mission Fire Rescue Service (MFRS) assistant chief Nick Rychkun says no high levels of gases were detected through air quality monitoring and no visible signs of oil spills or runoffs were detected on the water surface. Aside from the smaller ferry beside it, the blaze didn’t spread any further.
“The fire, in my estimation, is out ... it's a large area, there may be some small smouldering spots inside but we felt very confident that it's out. There's really nothing left to burn inside,” Rychkun said during an update at Monday’s (May 5) council meeting.
According to Rychkun, the vessel’s mooring is also secure. MFRS met with the Canadian Coast Guard (CCG) and the provincial Ministry of Environment earlier Monday.
A tour of the vessel with the Coast Guard revealed the interior contents of the ship – including vehicles, forklifts and motors – were completely consumed, but the outer structure remains intact.
MFRS handed the matter over to the Coast Guard and Transport Canada to look into further. Residents are still encouraged to stay out of the area.
“The Coast Guard is working in conjunction with Transport Canada and the owners as to the next steps in the process. All government parties are actively monitoring the situation. [The Coast Guard] is potentially looking at boarding the ferry soon to explore any other hazard issues that may be unaccounted for. And before they look at moving it, they want to get a structural look inside,” Rychkun said.
No indication fire was set intentionally
Mission RCMP launched a formal investigation into the blaze on Saturday (May 3) in coordination with other responding agencies.
"Mission RCMP were made aware that a worker had been using a cutting torch on the vessel recently, and that there were numerous vehicles and forklifts aboard the ship, however there is no indication of any criminality at this time," the detachment said.
According to an updated statement on Tuesday (May 6), Mission RCMP will continue to liaise with the fire department but are no longer actively carrying out an investigation.
First responders elect against dousing blaze
Rychkun praised the quick decision-making from MFRS leadership, including chief Mark Goddard, upon arrival at the scene.
Firefighters avoided using water or foam on the blaze to prevent toxic effluent from entering the Fraser River and causing environmental damage, opting to let it burn out.
Rychkun also credited the work of the Emergency Operations Centre and the city’s emergency program manager, Monique Weir.
“We did think this may be a mass evacuation situation. We may have looked into that. But luckily, with the … winds dying down and the message getting out ... they couldn't have handled it any better,” Rychkun said.
Call to Action
During Monday’s meeting, council unanimously resolved to call on the federal government and responsible agencies to provide a plan for removing the Queen of Sidney and other derelict vessels in the coming months.
Coun. Mark Davies, who moved that the city write to relevant agencies in 2023, voiced disappointment with the lack of action since.
“Those agencies have failed to really meet Mission’s needs and we really need them to meet our needs. They need to step up and become proactive, not reactive,” Davies said.
Mission-Matsqui-Abbotsford MP-elect Brad Vis says he will be actively pushing Fisheries and Oceans Canada for the ferry's removal, "as it is an environmental hazard".
"We actively tried for its removal in the past but the vessel was apparently compliant. That can’t be the case anymore," Vis said.
In the December 2023 letter, Mission Mayor Paul Horn wrote to the Minister of Environment and Climate Change, along with the Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard that “there is no logic in waiting until pollution occurs and having to react to a much worse situation with the potential for devastating effects.”
Horn said on Monday that “time is of the essence” to effectively move the vessel.
“You cannot go 18 years and pretend that the inevitable is not going to occur. This is just one example of that. Here we have a very narrow window …we're about to enter freshet. We have probably a four to six-week window to properly and effectively move that vessel,” he said.
As part of the motion, council also resolved to ask the Government of Canada to develop and implement a new, effective and realistic national strategy to address derelict and abandoned vessels in both coastal and inland waterways across the country.
The Canadian Coast Guard said in a statement to the Mission Record that the Queen of Sidney was last assessed in 2023 after reports of pollution and potential hazards.
CCG deputy commissioner of programs Marc Mes responded to Horn's letter on Aug. 21, 2024, saying a then-recent assessment of the 'Bad Adventure' determined the vessel was not posing a high risk that would require immediate action from the CCG.
According to the 2024 letter, the Coast Guard informed the ‘Bad Adventure’ owners of their responsibilities to properly maintain the vessel.
Owners responsible for costs of addressing problem vessel
The ship was in service for BC Ferries from 1960 to 2000 before it was sold to Robert and Gerald Tapp in 2002 when it was renamed Bad Adventure. Gerald Tapp passed away in February 2025.
The Coast Guard says owners are responsible for the costs of addressing problem vessels under Canadian law, including hazard-related costs like cleanup or repairs, and any remediation action taken by the CCG.
“As the matter is ongoing, the Canadian Coast Guard is unable to comment further on any interactions with the owner for privacy reasons,” the CCG statement reads.
Over the past several years, the Tapps were involved in civil cases related to the removal of assets, including the ferry, from a Mission property on Cooper Avenue where the boat is moored.
According to court documents, the Tapps previously owned the property before it was sold to a company owned by Robert’s son-in-law, Lothar Drews. Drews sought asset removal and compensation while the Tapps denied claims and opposed all requested court orders.
The case was last updated on Court Services Online in June 2024.
During his update on Monday, Rychkun said a contractor was hired by the family and is actively cleaning up the site.
“I have to say, they've done an amazing job. The site has been very cleaned up. All of the debris and the garbage has been removed,” he said.
