TANGIER, N.S. -- Just a week before Christmas, a fish plant has been destroyed by fire in Tangier, on Nova Scotia's Eastern Shore.
Although fewer than a dozen people worked at the plant, it has been an important part of the community for decades.
Coopers Road in Tangier remained closed for much of the day after a fire broke out shortly after 11 a.m. Wednesday.
The local fire department was first on scene and a number of units from neighbouring communities, including the investigation unit from Halifax, arrived soon after.
The plant is owned by the Abrial family, although it was founded by a Cooper many years ago. One of the members of that clan says the business is a huge part of the small community.
"They buy lobsters and they have big tanks to put them in, and soft cod fishing, stuff like that, haddock," says neighbour Parker Cooper.
Former employee Max Levy estimates the plant has been there "for close to 100 years -- if not more."
There was a steady stream of people stopping by Wednesday, including a local Anglican priest, who came to offer her services to the family.
"Because the fisheries are so important to everybody in my parish -- all seven churches -- and also being a friend of the family through their mother, I wanted to come down and see if they needed prayer support," said Rev. Lorraine Otto, of the Tangier Parish.
It's believed that everyone in the building got out safely and nobody was hurt.
The smoke largely disappeared by about 3 p.m. and a large excavator arrived about a half hour later.
Questions will now be asked about how the fire started, and whether the owners will rebuild what's clearly a local landmark in Halifax County.
