Two people have been arrested and charged in connection with the flooding of the Winnipeg Police Service headquarters causing extensive damage.

According to a news release from police, the tower at 266 Graham Ave. experienced a flooding incident at approximately 6 p.m. on Saturday impacting some working spaces in the building.

Preliminary information suggested either a watermain break or burst upper-level pipes caused the flooding. Further investigation by police later determined that two people had opened several emergency water supply valves in the upper stairwells of the adjoining tower at 266 Graham Ave.

As a result, significant water pressure built up in the pipes within minutes, sending water into the stairwells of the tower and causing parts of the police headquarters to flood.

Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service responded to the incident and secured the compromised valves. Police said the flooding caused extensive damage, though it will take time to evaluate its extent.

In the hours after the flooding, police conducted extensive search of the area around the headquarters. Officers arrested the two suspects short distance away, in the 200 block of Graham Avenue, just after 11 p.m.

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A 51-year-old man and 36-year-old woman were charged with six counts of mischief over $5,000 and released on undertakings.

The vandalism comes as a public inquiry is underway into the police building, which ran more than $70 million over budget by the time it was completed in 2016. The inquiry, announced last year by the Manitoba government, is examining the purchase and conversion of a former Canada Post building that became the new police headquarters.

Meanwhile, the water break has been contained, but public access to the building is temporarily restricted until a further assessment can take place.

Police say the public can continue to use online reporting if they need to report an issue, and to call 911 in an emergency.

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