NOTE: Dates of the fires were incorrect in an earlier version of this fire. They have been corrected.
All were total losses.
The first fire engulfed a shed located at 521 Guinea Road in Clementsvale and the second happened at the old Deep Brook General Store at 577 Highway 1 in Deep Brook – around ten minutes driving time apart.
The most recent occurred August 10 in the forest along Fraser Road, just three kilometres from the first incident.
Bear River Deputy Fire Chief Dave McCormick confirmed the August 7 fires were called in at 1:50 and 4:50 a.m. respectively.
The third was called in August 10, also at 1:50 a.m.
“These fires were separate in a geographic sense but are all currently being investigated by the RCMP,” he said.
Fire departments from Bear River, Smith’s Cove, Annapolis and Digby responded to the first incident and were all joined by the Lawrencetown department, with their Ladder 41 and 3,000 gallon tanker trucks, at the second.
The third fire saw Bear River, Smith’s Cove, Annapolis and Digby fire departments attend again and fight the blaze until 3:55 a.m.
The first two buildings were empty and had not been lived in for many years, with no working electricity or power of any kind.
The fire at the old general store – a building McCormick estimated at 28 feet by 28 feet – grew so large it melted the siding of a house across the street.
The fire, which McCormick said is among the biggest he’s seen this year, also melted Eastlink lines.
The third building was a hunting cabin measuring 20 feet by 20 feet. It was also a total loss.
There were no casualties.
After the third fire, McCormick said he and others are feeling wary.
“We had four RCMP cars there. They’re in the same situation we are: this is getting a little dangerous now,” he said.
“This is another suspicious fire, but also another fine example of the work our volunteers do.”
See also: ‘No natural reason a fire would start there:’ RCMP
