A man and a woman are facing mischief charges after flooding caused extensive damage to the Winnipeg Police Service headquarters over the weekend. The incident began Saturday evening, impacting some working spaces within the downtown complex at 266 Graham Avenue.
According to a news release from the Winnipeg Police Service, officers responded to reports of flooding at approximately 6:00 p.m. On February 14th. Initial reports suggested a possible watermain break or burst pipes, but investigators determined that two individuals had deliberately opened several emergency water supply valves in the upper stairwells of the tower building.
“Water was pouring downstairs, water was pouring through ceilings. It happened very quickly,” Constable Dani McKinnon told reporters Sunday. “It’s just like floodgates basically opened up.”
Police quickly identified two suspects and located them shortly after 11:00 p.m. In the 200 block of Graham Avenue. A 51-year-old man and a 36-year-old woman have been charged with six counts of mischief over $5,000 and were released on undertakings.
The flooding caused “extensive” property damage, though the full extent of the damage is still being assessed. Workers were observed Sunday pulling up carpets, soaking up residual water, and using industrial fans to dry the affected areas. Police have not yet determined how many floors were impacted, or if the basement areas were affected.
“This is a big space and there’s a lot of different units and areas that comprise the tower at HQ, so it’s going to accept a little bit of time as you can only imagine,” McKinnon said. “We are going to take our time to find … every little nook and cranny that was affected.”
Uniform operations will not be affected by the disruptions, but some working units have been relocated. The station duty office at 245 Smith Street remains closed for in-person reporting, with updates on its status to be provided daily. Citizens are encouraged to file reports online, or to call 911 for emergencies and 204-986-6222 for non-emergency situations.
The incident occurred as public hearings began in a provincial inquiry into the construction of the police headquarters. The building likewise experienced significant flooding in 2014, during construction, when a rainstorm caused $4.1 million in damage.
Canada Post’s space within the complex was also flooded during the incident. A request for comment from Canada Post has been made.
