Mark Mullen was one of the first people on scene at a Friday home explosion and fire in Langley.
The thunderous blast rocked his normally quiet neighbourhood on 196th Street, just north of 72 Avenue, around 10:40 a.m. on Friday.
“When we got there, there was nobody around and we heard some popping, so we were telling everyone back up, back up,” Mullen said.
“We heard some noise and we looked over, and these two guys climbed out of the rubble.”
Other neighbours likened the sound and rumble to an earthquake or a vehicle smashing into their home.
Yellow flowers were laid at the scene on Saturday in a small vigil for the family that reportedly lived in the home.
Two men remain in critical condition while a woman is still unaccounted for.
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On Friday, RCMP said they could not confirm if the woman was inside the home at the time of the explosion.
One home was destroyed and at least four more, including a daycare, were siginficantly damaged. The blast also triggered an evacuation of the area.
“We just went door to door,” Mullen said. “We know that a lot of them work from home and cleared everyone that lives around and just kind of accounted for everyone.”
Mullen has since been able to return to his home, but some of his neighbours could be out for days or even months.
Fire trucks, ambulances, city crews and BC Hydro all responded to the explosion.
Township Mayor Eric Woodward posted to social media, saying three new fire apparatus that were ordered by council in 2023 were pushed into service just the day before.
“Another great reminder of the importance of all of our community’s first responders, and that they need quality equipment, training, supports, and resources to do their jobs for us,” he wrote, thanking first responders for their efforts.
Investigators spent the majority of Saturday combing through the rubble for evidence. There is still no word on the cause of the explosion.
Anyone with information is asked to contact the Langley RCMP and quote file 2025-6044.
