A community landmark in Parrsboro, N.S., has been lost to fire.
The Glooscap Restaurant and Lounge was the only year-round, full-service eatery in the community.
Tuesday, members of the Parrsboro Volunteer Fire Department hosed down hot spots and examined the remnants of the restaurant that was built in 1980.
The eatery is owned by Mike Fisher and his wife Amber, who worked there for 16 years before taking ownership.
“Devastation,” said Amber Fisher. “We've got like 12 people out of a job, but I'm so thankful that nobody was hurt.”
Firefighters were called to the scene around 7 a.m., after Mike Fisher saw smoke coming from the building while he was driving by.
“It didn't look that bad, but as I said, it kept getting worse and worse, so I thought, yeah, there's something wrong,” Mike Fisher said.
Parrsboro Volunteer Fire Department Chief James Shaw said the fire got worse after firefighters arrived.
“Roughly 40 minutes after arrival, we noticed the fire was getting worse and the main heat source had come from the kitchen area as well, and then we had flames come out through the roof, between 10 to 12 feet high,” Shaw said.
Pictures of the fire were shared quickly on social media. Fire crews were able to bring it under control within two hours.
The cause has yet to be determined.
The destruction of the restaurant has left a feeling of loss in Parrsboro and surrounding communities.
“Oh, it's a loss for the community,” said Shaw. “It's a loss for everybody who uses it. We recently just had our fire department banquet here, two weekends ago.”
“Any kind of a loss like that in a community like this is really just so unfortunate," said Parrsboro resident Harriet McCready.
Amber Fisher couldn’t help but think of her employees and customers.
“My heart goes out pretty much to the community and our staff, because they won't have a job come tomorrow to fall back on,” she said.
The owners say the business was insured, and they plan on rebuilding as soon as they can.
With files from CTV Atlantic’s Dan MacIntosh.
