A historic building in St. Peter’s, N.S., which previously served as both the fire hall and village hall, was engulfed in flames on Wednesday night. The three-story wooden structure, over a century old, was witnessed burning by Clair Rankin, a member of the St. Peter’s Village Commission.
Rankin described the scene as intense, with windows shattering, power lines ablaze, and a dramatic display of flames. Upon receiving alerts on their pagers, volunteer firefighters rushed to the site, prompting Rankin to join them at Grenville Street.
The building, now privately owned and previously used as a business garage, faced minimal wind during the fire, allowing the flames to burn predominantly vertically, a fortunate circumstance as noted by Rankin.
Adjacent structures suffered heat damage from the fire, as confirmed by a report from the St. Peter’s and District Volunteer Fire Department, although no injuries were reported.
Rankin reminisced about the building’s past significance as a community hub for events like dances and christenings, even recalling a performance by musician Stompin’ Tom Connors. He lamented the loss, referring to it as a significant void in the village.
To ensure effective firefighting efforts, an excavator was brought in to facilitate the dismantling of the building.
