COQUITLAM — Emergency crews spent hours at a cordoned-off section of the Coquitlam Centre bus loop Friday, after a bus driver and two passengers reported feeling ill and a white substance was discovered on the bus.

According to TransLink officials, the incident began before noon, when two passengers on a westbound bus on St. Johns Street near Moray Street asked to leave because they felt sick.

A short time later, the bus driver also reported feeling sick and asked to be relieved.

He returned the bus to the loop, but then suffered a minor seizure.

At the same time, a passenger noticed an unknown white substance by the rear wheel-well of the bus.

The discovery prompted emergency crews, including a hazardous materials team, to respond to the scene, while a portion of the bus loop was closed for hours as police investigated.

“With something like this, you’ve always got to run on the side of caution,” said TransLink spokesman Drew Snider.

Transit officials were not sure how many passengers were on the bus, but police noted they were all quarantined as a precaution.

As of 4 p.m. Friday, investigators hadn’t determined the nature of the substance, or if any of the incidents were linked.

Coquitlam RCMP are asking anyone who was on the bus and might have been sick to call the police.

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