Funeral home damaged by fire in Hampton, N.B.
A funeral home in Hampton, N.B. was extensively damaged in a fire early Thursday morning.
The smell of smoke was still lingering in the air outside of Reid’s Funeral Home in Hampton, on Thursday afternoon, hours after an early morning fire broke out at the business.
It was at approximately 3 a.m. when a passer-by called 911 to report that flames were coming through the roof of the funeral home, located on Main Street – and when firefighters arrived on scene that’s what they were met with.
“I knew then that we were in for a battle,” said Hampton Fire-Rescue deputy fire chief Mike Raeburn. “This whole building is like five buildings converted into one, so there are double walls and there’s all of that stuff you have to deal with.”
There were about 60 firefighters in total from four different fire departments who responded to the call and were able to get the fire knocked down in about an hour, but the building itself is believed to be a total loss.
In a statement, Reid Funeral Home owner Dyson Regular said while the extent of the damage has not been determined, "there was no harm to anyone resting at the facility," and that all the urns stored on the premises awaiting burial were rescued.
“The most important thing for us to get out was those items we felt they’re not replaceable, that were valuable to our families,” said Regular. "We made sure and got those out and got them secured ASAP.”
“That’s the first thought when you hear on the radio, Reid’s Funeral Home,” adds Raeburn, “You’re going, 'let’s hope there’s nobody laid'...for the family, that would be devastating, to lose a member and then lose them in a fire again.”
Regular also says that records of services preplanned with Reid’s are stored electronically and are safe.
The funeral home says anyone requiring services in the coming days will be cared for as the business also operates facilities in two nearby communities.
The investigation into the fire is still in its early stages so there’s no word yet on what caused the fire, however Raeburn says it’s not believed to be suspicious.
Regular says the next step for them is to work with their insurance company.
Reid’s Funeral Home has been in its Main Street location since the 1960s, but the business dates back to the mid-1800s in the community.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Poilievre will do 'anything to win,' must condemn Alex Jones endorsement: Trudeau
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is ramping up his attacks on Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre as he promotes his government's federal budget.
'My stomach dropped': Winnipeg man speaks out after being criminally harassed following single online date
A Winnipeg man said a single date gone wrong led to years of criminal harassment, false arrests, stress and depression.
New evidence challenges the Pentagon's account of a horrific attack as the U.S. withdrew from Afghanistan: CNN exclusive
New video evidence uncovered by CNN significantly undermines two Pentagon investigations into an ISIS-K suicide attack outside Kabul airport, during the American withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021.
'One of the single most terrifying things ever': Ontario couple among passengers on sinking tour boat in Dominican Republic
A Toronto couple are speaking out about their 'extremely dangerous' experience on board a sinking tour boat in the Dominican Republic last week.
All Alberta wildfires to date in 2024 believed to be human-caused: province
There are 63 wildfires burning in Alberta's forest protection area as of Wednesday morning and seven mutual aid fires, including one in the Municipal District of Peace.
Video shows suspects waving weapons, smashing glass in Toronto jewelry store robbery
Arrests have been made after five men were captured on video rampaging through a jewelry store in Toronto, waving weapons and smashing glass display cases.
Pilot proposes to flight attendant girlfriend in front of passengers
A Polish pilot proposed to his flight attendant girlfriend during a flight from Warsaw to Krakow, and she said yes.
Ottawa injects another $36M into fund for those seriously injured or killed by vaccines
The federal government has added $36.4 million to a program designed to support people who have been seriously injured or killed by vaccines since the end of 2020.
Ex-SNC executive sentenced to prison term in bridge bribery case
The RCMP says a former SNC-Lavalin executive has been sentenced to three and a half years in prison in connection with a bribery scheme for a bridge repair contract in Montreal.