The headquarters of Special K Fisheries, a seafood processor based on the island of Grand Manan, New Brunswick, Canada, caught fire on Monday, 1 May, resulting in extensive damage.
The fire destroyed several buildings at the processor, which handles lobster, scallops, and cold-water shrimp, according to Grand Manan Mayor Bonnie Morse.
“Based on what I understand, it does look like it’s a significant loss,” Morse told Acadia Broadcasting.
Volunteer firefighters on the island, the Royal Candian Mounted Police, and Ambulance New Brunswick responded to the fire, and reported no injuries at the plant, according to the CBC.
Bonnie Morse, the program coordinator for Grand Manan Fishermen’s Association and the mayor of Grand Manan, said the fire will have a significant impact on the island community, which is economically dependent on the seafood industry.
"I think for everybody, they feel this sickness in the pit of their stomach," Morse said. “This is a landmark in the community that appears to be lost."
Morse said Special K Fisheries was one of the island’s largest employers.
“I think that Grand Manan is made up of small businesses and particularly small fishing businesses and they were a significant employer in the fishing industry,” she told Global News. “So, any time you see a loss in the community like this, it is obviously devastating for the families and for the people involved.”
SeafoodSource could not reach Morse for additional comment on Tuesday, 2 May.
Photo courtesy of Wilfred Eastman Shepherd
