St. Mary’s Mayor Steve Ryan termed the events of Tuesday night as a convergence of unfortunate circumstances. He was the first to arrive at the scene of a fire that razed the St. Mary’s Bay Fisheries plant to the ground. Despite the passage of hours, the personal impact of the loss continued to weigh heavily on him.
“My parents dedicated over 30 years of service to the plant,” shared Ryan with CBC News on Wednesday morning. “Our upbringing revolved around the plant supporting our needs.”
The fire was reported to authorities around 8:45 p.m. NT on Tuesday. When Ryan reached the plant, flames were already engulfing the structure, and it became evident within minutes that the building was beyond saving.
Don Boyles, the chief of the Riverhead Volunteer Fire Department, acknowledged the futility of their efforts given the magnitude of the fire. Approximately 20 residents had to evacuate their homes and seek shelter at the town hall until the early hours of the morning, as confirmed by Ryan.
The fish plant, which employed over 300 individuals from St. Mary’s and beyond during peak seasons, was a significant economic contributor to the region. Mayor Ryan emphasized the plant’s importance in providing good-paying jobs to a diverse workforce.
The plant owners have not made any public statements following the incident, but Ryan stated that in his discussions with them, they expressed profound sorrow over the loss. The cause of the fire is currently under investigation by the RCMP.
The southern Avalon Peninsula experienced wind gusts reaching up to 172 km/h on Tuesday, with Environment Canada maintaining a wind warning for the area throughout Wednesday. Coastal flooding warnings were also issued for the region.
Both Ryan and Boyles expressed gratitude that there were no injuries resulting from the fire. Ryan highlighted his concern for the plant’s employees as they approach the upcoming processing season in the spring and mentioned receiving support from Premier Tony Wakeham.
Sherry Gambin-Walsh, the MHA for Placentia-St. Mary’s, emphasized the devastation caused by the fire and expressed hope for the plant’s reconstruction. She underscored the importance of assisting the affected employees whose employment insurance is set to expire in the coming months.
Mayor Verna Hayward of St. Vincent’s shared the challenges faced when the power outage disrupted communication during the fire incident. She stressed the need for improved cell coverage in the area.
Efforts to restore power to affected areas were ongoing, with nearly 3,000 residents still without power as of Wednesday morning. Glenda Power of Newfoundland Power mentioned the unpredictability of further outages due to the persisting high winds.
The community is rallying together to overcome the aftermath of the devastating fire that has left a lasting impact on St. Mary’s and the surrounding areas.