‘Gut-wrenching’ fire destroys largest employer in small N.B. town

One of nan owners of nan largest employer successful a mini municipality westbound of Moncton, N.B., says nan past 18 hours person been “kind of for illustration hell,” but nan section politician is assured nan family will rebuild aft a occurrence destroyed Burgess Transportation.

Trevor Burgess says a custodian noticed fume coming retired nan apical of nan tile astatine nan Petitcodiac business, connected Smith Street adjacent New Brunswick Route 1, astir 7 p.m. Tuesday and called 911.

Burgess says they “did get immoderate computers and laptops out” earlier nan blaze grew excessively big, but there’s “not a batch of salvage worldly there.”

“You put your full life into this and past it’s gone up successful conscionable 12 hours,” he said.

The monolithic occurrence required an extended consequence from nan Petitcodiac Fire Department arsenic good arsenic support from Moncton, Riverview and Dieppe.

“We had complete 12 departments respond, we had complete 20 servants of nan state respond and we had complete 100 firefighters connected scene,” Petitcodiac occurrence skipper Brian Dunfield said.

“Ranging from aerial devices to ample tankers, because successful our area we require tanker shuttle. We do not person immoderate h2o supplies and hydrants.”

Dunfield said location were nary injuries and nan occurrence marshal’s agency will beryllium determining nan cause.

While Burgess said nan business — which repairs trucks and has a fleet of its ain vehicles, employing astir 60 group — has had “a mates of offers” from different garages to temporarily group up shop, it’s “going to beryllium a time aliases 2 earlier we’re backmost connected our feet” and they’re unsure really galore group they’ll beryllium capable to support connected unit correct away.

“We’ll benignant of cod ourselves and spot if we tin get backmost connected watercourse and work our customers nan measurement we utilized to but it’s going to return a while.”

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Petitcodiac Mayor Peter Saunders knows nan Burgess family personally and described them arsenic strong, wished and community-minded.

“This is simply a large nonaccomplishment to a nice, family-run business that does not merit this astatine all. But it happens,” he said.

Saunders said nan family built nan installation successful 1996 and that it’s “a spell spot, pinch a trucking institution and mechanics and motortruck income and everything they do here.”

He said nan business is nan “biggest employer of nan community, hands down, now that nan mill is closed.”

“They cognize reliable times, they cognize really to rebuild … they’re already readying what to do next.”

While describing nan nonaccomplishment arsenic “gut-wrenching,” Burgess did widen his appreciation to firefighters, RCMP and volunteers for their response.

Saunders besides highlighted nan wider organization support, saying he’s “very proud of this community.”

“When they tin unfastened up a market shop astatine 10 astatine nighttime and propulsion a Legion unit together and ladies and guys making sandwiches and java each nighttime for 100-plus firemen and ladies here? That’s a large point successful a organization for illustration this,” Saunders said.

— with files from Global News’ Silas Brown