One of the owners of the largest employer in a small town west of Moncton, N.B., says the last 18 hours have been “kind of like hell,” but the local mayor is confident the family will rebuild after a fire destroyed Burgess Transportation.
Trevor Burgess says a custodian noticed smoke coming out the top of the roof at the Petitcodiac business, on Smith Street near New Brunswick Route 1, around 7 p.m. Tuesday and called 911.
Burgess says they “did get some computers and laptops out” before the blaze grew too big, but there’s “not a lot of salvage material there.”
“You put your whole life into this and then it’s gone up in just 12 hours,” he said.
The massive fire required an extensive response from the Petitcodiac Fire Department as well as support from Moncton, Riverview and Dieppe.
“We had over 12 departments respond, we had over 20 apparatus respond and we had over 100 firefighters on scene,” Petitcodiac fire captain Brian Dunfield said.
“Ranging from aerial devices to large tankers, because in our area we require tanker shuttle. We do not have any water supplies and hydrants.”
Dunfield said there were no injuries and the fire marshal’s office will be determining the cause.
While Burgess said the business — which repairs trucks and has a fleet of its own vehicles, employing about 60 people — has had “a couple of offers” from other garages to temporarily set up shop, it’s “going to be a day or two before we’re back on our feet” and they’re unsure how many people they’ll be able to keep on staff right away.
“We’ll kind of collect ourselves and see if we can get back on stream and service our customers the way we used to but it’s going to take a while.”
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Petitcodiac Mayor Peter Saunders knows the Burgess family personally and described them as strong, determined and community-minded.
“This is a big loss to a nice, family-run business that does not deserve this at all. But it happens,” he said.
Saunders said the family built the facility in 1996 and that it’s “a go spot, with a trucking company and mechanics and truck sales and everything they do here.”
He said the business is the “biggest employer of the community, hands down, now that the mill is closed.”
“They know tough times, they know how to rebuild … they’re already planning what to do next.”
While describing the loss as “gut-wrenching,” Burgess did extend his appreciation to firefighters, RCMP and volunteers for their response.
Saunders also highlighted the wider community support, saying he’s “very proud of this community.”
“When they can open up a grocery store at 10 at night and pull a Legion crew together and ladies and guys making sandwiches and coffee all night for 100-plus firemen and ladies here? That’s a big thing in a community like this,” Saunders said.
— with files from Global News’ Silas Brown