Crews battle fire at Capital Seafood in Eastern Passage

Capital Seafood in Eastern Passage, N.S., caught fire Wednesday night.

Halifax Fire received the call about the fire at 100 Government Wharf Road at 9:22 p.m. and said trucks were on scene by 9:30 p.m.

"On arrival our firefighters encountered fire showing from the roof line of the fish processing plant that's here," said division chief Dave Meldrum. "We're happy to report tonight that there are no injuries to any civilians or firefighters."

More than 30 firefighters

Meldrum expects crews will be at the scene all night. He said crews are using a defensive strategy to fight the fire, meaning firefighters are outside of the building.

"By morning time we should have fire investigators on scene working on a cause ... we have about eight working apparatus or fire trucks here this evening and just over 30 firefighters."

The fire was large, Meldrum said.

'Extensively damaged'

"This building is quite extensive as a processing facility. The firefighters did attempt to get that fire out of the attic spaces and roofline but there was simply too much fire on arrival," he said. "The building certainly is extensively damaged."

When asked about popping and explosion sounds, Meldum said electricity was still on. The power has been shut off.

"Residents in the area may have seen flashes and heard very loud noises as a result of the electricity."

As of 12:00 a.m. Thursday the fire was still active but Meldrum said it was stable.

'Blow for the community'

"This is a disaster that puts about 20 or 30 people out of work and plus all the fishermen lose all their gear underneath the back of it," said Barry Eddy, who works on the Government Wharf. 

Leo Schmidt's business, The Violet Unicorn, is close to Capital Seafood. Schmidt's business was intact, but the destruction of the neighbouring plant was a troubling sight.

"It's obviously going to be a blow for the community. That fishery is fairly important for the area and with lobster season coming up in less than two weeks it will not be a good thing economically I would guess for a lot of people around here," Schmidt said.

Schmidt saw the fire at its peak.

"It looked pretty menacing. I would be very shocked if there is anything left of the structure. It looks now as though it has caved in on itself," Schmidt said.