Communities on N.L.’s southern shore gearing up for more stormy weather after ‘devastating’ night
CBC
St. Mary’s Mayor Steve Ryan describes Tuesday night’s events as “a perfect storm.”
After just an hour of sleep, Ryan told CBC Radio that he was devastated to see the town’s fish plant, owned by St. Mary's Bay Fisheries, had burned down.
“The conditions were just unbearable,” he said Wednesday morning, illustrating a scene of intense fire amid hurricane-force winds in his small N.L. town.
About 20 residents evacuated their homes to stay at the town hall until the early hours of the morning, Ryan confirmed.
The fish plant was the largest employer in the region with more than 300 workers — both from the St. Mary’s area and abroad — during its peak season. The mayor said it provided good, high-paying jobs.
“We had a success story here…. It’s really hurtful,” he said with a shaky voice.
“A lot of people planned their lives around the plant.”
Ryan said the fire flared up Wednesday morning, likely because of continuing high winds. He said it’s now under control.
Winds along the southern Avalon Peninsula gusted as high as 172 km/h on Tuesday. Environment Canada’s wind warning is still in effect for the Avalon Peninsula throughout Wednesday, with gusts up to 110 km/h expected along the coast.
A coastal flooding warning is also in effect for the southern Avalon.
Ryan and St. Vincent’s Mayor Verna Hayward both said the situation was complicated even further when power went out, taking any available cell service along with it.
Hayward told CBC News that the loss of the fish plant is tragic for her town as well, but people weren’t able to call and check in on each other when power went out as it burned.
“We had no phone communication,” Hayward said. “When something happens like a fire, we don’t have time to go around knocking on doors.… We are at a standstill.”
The St. Vincent’s mayor said cell coverage can be spotty in that area on a good day. She’d like that to change.
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