Barbour’s General Store in Saint John damaged by fire, building’s future uncertain

An early-morning fire at the Barbour’s General Store in uptown Saint John, N.B., was set, however, investigators aren’t sure if it was by accident or on purpose.

Firefighters were called to the Saint John landmark around 3 a.m. Tuesday. Crews found heavy smoke and flames coming from one side of the building and worked for about two hours to get the fire under control.

Nobody was inside the building. Platoon Chief Ed Moyer with the Saint John Fire Department told CTV News one firefighter was checked for minor injuries and sent home to recover.

Both the Saint John Police Force Major Crime Unit and Saint John Fire Department are investigating.

“The police are aware of information that somebody may have had a temporary shelter near the Barbour’s General Store and we are investigating the information surrounding those allegations,” said Saint John Police Force Staff Sgt. Sean Rocca.

'I HOPE IT CAN BE SALVAGED'

The building was first located in Sheffield, N.B., for about 100 years as a general store before the Barbour family gifted it to the City of Saint John.

The building was sent down the Saint John River on a barge in 1967 as part of Canada’s centennial celebrations.

Claudius Albert was part of that effort.

“We towed it through the falls and waited for high water to unload it on the causeway,” said Albert, who saw the fire damage for himself on Tuesday.

The building served as a replica of a 19th-century general store at the foot of King Street. It was last open this past summer as a visitor information centre.

“They had so many little interesting things in that store from another century,” said Saint John Mayor Donna Reardon, who likened it to what was seen on the television program "Little House on the Prairie."

“I hope it can be salvaged,” she said.

The building is insured and still standing. However, no official word has been given about the building’s future, nor the extent of damage sustained inside.