Woody Point mourns loss of business pillar, community's only gas station

Woody Point — a picturesque community on Newfoundland's west coast — is reeling after the loss of what was a pillar of local business in the town for over 70 years.

A fire at Martin's Garage — the town's only gas station — broke out on Wednesday.

Mayor Irene Martin, who owned the business alongside her husband until the couple sold about five years ago, said the town is feeling a tremendous sense of loss.

"Part of, I guess, my family legacy and my children's, just disappeared in two or three hours," Martin told CBC News on Thursday.

"[It's] a loss for our community, and a loss of a community landmark."

Martin said the business had been in her family since the 1950s. It was later sold to 3T's Ltd.

CBC News asked 3T's president Todd Young for an interview. He declined, and said an investigation into the fire is ongoing.

Martin said no one was injured, and she's thankful the fire was held from spreading to nearby homes. She heavily credits the work of volunteer firefighters, including the Southside Fire Department, who spent most of the night into Thursday monitoring hotspots.

Four hoses and two fire trucks with water cannons were used, Martin said.

At one point, she added, the cannons were using 1,000 gallons of water per minute to bring the fire down.

"The flames were, in a matter of minutes, coming through the roof," Martin said.

"[Firefighters] were wet, cold. However, they kept the water continuously on it.… They did an amazing job."

Because of the amount of water used, the Town of Woody Point asked residents to conserve water wherever possible on Thursday to allow the town's water system time to replenish.

The next nearest fuel station is now in Glenburnie-Birchy Head-Shoal Brook — about a 10-minute drive down the road.