A fire broke out in the area of Horne Street and 1st Avenue on Monday

It's unclear when operations will be able to resume at LaserQuill Design in Mission

A business in Mission that was manufacturing plastic face masks for frontline workers has been damaged by a fire

MISSION (NEWS 1130) – A local company that was making personal protective equipment to help frontline workers during the COVID-19 pandemic has been badly damaged by a fire.

LaserQuill Designs was one of four businesses affected by flames that ripped through a stretch of 1st Avenue near Horne Street in Mission on Monday afternoon.

The company had been manufacturing plastic face shields, and the manager isn’t sure when they’ll be back in business.

Police say the fire wasn’t suspicious but investigators were still looking to determine a cause.

No one was hurt in the fire, but it did force partial road closures along Lougheed Highway and 1st Avenue for some time. Power was also out for about 1,700 BC Hydro customers during the fire.

Many businesses across Canada that are in other manufacturing industries have stepped up to make PPE for frontline workers amid increased demand during the coronavirus outbreak.

In late March, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said thousands of companies had already come forward to see if they could be of assistance in producing items, after the government announced plans to mobilize industry.