The fire destroyed
several buildings at the processor, which handles lobster, scallops, and
cold-water shrimp, according to Grand Manan Mayor Bonnie Morse.
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.