It’s expected that the building at 75-77 Duke Street, which was gutted by a devastating overnight fire, will be torn down today.
That’s according to the Saint John fire department. Platoon chief Eric Garland says the two-story brick building has been turned over to a security agency on behalf of the insurance company that owns the building which will watch it until Galbraith Construction can tear it down. Garland says the building is not really salvageable:
“The roof was completely burned off the building as well as extensive damage to the inside of the building, and it would probably be a safely hazard to the public,” says Garland.
There’s no word yet on what caused the fire, or where it started, that’s something the investigation by Saint John fire is looking to determine. Then, if necessary, the file will be turned over to the Saint John police.
It was a tough fire in a very old building from the 1900s, Garland says.
“Which had probably received some extensive renovation over time, definitely you’re into balloon frame construction and all of the associated problems that come with that in regard to a fire in that there are many openings and many places for the fire to travel to,” says Garland.
“So, they did commence interior operation early in the fire and worked at that for quite a while until it was deemed that firefighters should come out for firefighter safety and it became an exterior fire.”
One firefighter was taken to hospital because of elevated blood pressure.
You can see picture and video from the scene here.
UPDATE: The building has come down.
What remains 75/77 Duke street. A large fire destroyed the building earlier this week pic.twitter.com/F4tsMNflyG
— CHSJ News (@chsjnews) March 15, 2017
Duke street remains blocked to traffic between Germain and Charlotte pic.twitter.com/1JmPBW310m
— CHSJ News (@chsjnews) March 15, 2017
