Nanaimo R-C-M-P say they have taken over the case involving an explosion that tore apart a home near the downtown core on Sunday night.
Constable Gary O'Brien says police will be checking to see if foul play was involved.
He says crews have managed to remove debris from the site of the flattened home and check the basement and other areas.
The house was vacant when it blew up just before 9 p-m but the force of blast damaged other homes and flying glass injured several people.
There has been a surge of COVID-19 infections in health-care and long-term care facilities in British Columbia with seven more outbreaks reported in the last few days. A statement from the Health Ministry says 43 facilities were listed as having outbreaks on Monday, including several hospitals in the province.
International Trade Minister Mary Ng announced Canada's intention in a statement released by her office on Monday, that disclosed her Sunday telephone call with a Taiwanese minister. She said the island represented a key trade and investment partner as Canada tries to diversify its trade relations in the Indo-Pacific.
Children in Alberta and British Columbia returned to the classroom Monday as surging COVID-19 cases threatened to overwhelm hospitals in several provinces and prompted the United States to advise its citizens to "avoid travel" to Canada.
Lululemon Athletica Inc. is lowering its fourth-quarter earnings estimates as the Omicron variant curbs the retailer's sales. The Vancouver-based company says it now expects its net revenue and earnings to be on the low end of previously announced ranges.
BC Ferries says a combination of the fast-spreading Omicron COVID-19 variant, a global shortage of mariners, severe weather and the flu season has the potential to disrupt ferry service over the next few months. The company says in a statement that the problem may hit inter-island routes hardest.
There are 34,551 active cases of COVID-19 in the province, and 243,953 people who tested positive have recovered. Of the active cases, 431 individuals are in hospital and 95 are in intensive care. The remaining people are recovering at home in self-isolation.