'Very nasty' fire destroys businesses in downtown Bridgewater

Five businesses suffered devastating damage in an overnight firein downtown Bridgewater.

Mike Nauss, chief of the Bridgewater Fire Department, said firefighters were calledat 10:30 p.m. Sunday to a structure fire at 535 King St.

"Very nasty, very time consuming and I know all of our guys are very tired right now," said Nauss, who noted seven fire departments ultimately responded.

The fire started on the ground floor where Big Daddy's Wholesale storeand marijuana dispensary Green Way are located. Nauss said the fire then spread to the other side of the building and up to the second floor. A Rogers outlet andatattoo parlour, Artistic Issues,sustainedextensive water damage. A Keller Williams Select Realty locationwas also damaged.

People in the apartment above the tattoo shop were able to get out safely, however Nausssaid it was completely destroyed by fire.Nauss said an apartment above the neighbouring Rogers store sustained heavy water damage and the roof was also damaged. Everyone in that apartment also made it out safely.

Nauss said fire crews were able to get control of the fire around 2 a.m.

"Very high heat, intense it was the whole structure burning, a balloon-framed building, which makes the fire go everywhere once the fire hits the outside walls."

Naussestimates the building iswell over 120 years old.Both police and the fire marshal's office are investigating the cause.

The road is closed between Dufferin and Dominion streets and the older of the town's two bridges across the Lahave River also remains closed this morning, according to Bridgewaterpolice.

Jeff Lohnes watched the fire for two hours starting around 11 p.m. last night. He believes four or fivebusinesses were destroyed in the blaze. The 55-year-old has lived in Bridgewaterhis whole life.

"You couldn't see anything because there was so much smoke and then when it finally burned through the roof it lit up like nothing I've ever seen before," he said.

"It was the worst fire I've ever seen, like those flames must have been 50 feet high."

The fire started at one end of the building and kept moving down the row of buildings, said Lohnes.

The blazecomes after recentpaving work on KingStreet, as well as improvements to a nearby park.

The mayor of Bridgewater said the fire is going to have a big economic impact on the community. David Mitchell said it is a challenge to do business insmall town Nova Scotiaand any disruption is hard.

"We want to make sure the businesses that can open, are able to open as quickly as possible," said Mitchell.

"Those that are destroyed, hopefully through insurance and what we can do as a town through our planning and engineering department to make sure we can get them back on track."

Despite the damage, Lohnes said people won't be disheartened.

"It will bring everyone together, I know that. We'll start from scratch and go from there," said Lohnes.