Seafood processing plant in N.B. destroyed following explosion, fire; 2 workers injured
A seafood processing plant in Portage, N.B., has been completely destroyed following a major fire Friday afternoon.
The building owner for W.E. Acres Crabmeal Ltd., Jim LeBlanc, told CTV News an explosion in an oil drum sparked the fire inside the facility.
LeBlanc said the incident was accidental, but adds the plant is a complete loss.
He says, at the time of the fire, four people were working inside but were able to escape.
LeBlanc says he and a coworker suffered minor injuries due to the fire.
"Myself and one of my coworkers were injured, like burnt... first and second-degree burns. We'll heal," he said.
LeBlanc confirmed his coworker was taken to hospital for treatment for second-degree burns.
The Cap-Pelé deputy fire chief said about seven fire departments responded to the call, which came in around 2 p.m.
Crews battled the fire and remained on the scene for several hours to deal with hot spots but have since cleared the scene.
The building is used as a fishmeal plant that produces things like fertilizer and animal feed, according to LeBlanc.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING | 3 people stabbed at Halifax-area high school; 1 person in custody
Police in Halifax say three people have been stabbed and a student is in custody following a weapons complaint at a high school in Bedford, N.S. The victims were taken to hospital for treatment, but the extent of their injuries is not yet known.

W5 Investigates | How did a healthy teen die at a minor hockey camp?
The parents of young Ontario hockey player Ben Teague have been searching for answers since he died while at a team retreat in 2019. The mystery about what happened and the code of silence in hockey culture is explored in CTV W5's 'What Happened to Ben,' on CTVNews.ca and W5's official YouTube channel.
Conservatives forcing MPs to vote on striking new foreign interference study
In an effort to keep the foreign interference story at the forefront, and to do an apparent end run around the Liberal filibuster blocking one study from going ahead, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre is forcing MPs to debate and then vote on a motion instructing an opposition-dominated House committee to strike its own review.
Amazon cuts 9,000 more jobs, bringing 2023 total to 27,000
Amazon plans to eliminate 9,000 more jobs in the next few weeks, CEO Andy Jassy said in a memo to staff on Monday.
Donald Trump's call for protests gets muted reaction by supporters
Former U.S. President Donald Trump's calls for protests ahead of his anticipated indictment in New York have generated mostly muted reactions from supporters, with even some of his most ardent loyalists dismissing the idea as a waste of time or a law enforcement trap.
LIVE @ 11:30 A.M. | 6 still missing after Old Montreal fire; Mayor to address media
Officials are still looking for victims after a fire ripped through a building in Old Montreal last week, killing at least one person. At a press conference Monday morning, spokespersons for the Montreal police and Montreal fire department said six people are still missing. They come from various locations in Quebec, Ontario and the U.S.
opinion | Biden's Canada visit is long overdue, expert says
Questions abound as to why U.S. President Biden is only now making the visit to Canada, more than two years into his presidency.
Ontario court permits Nordstrom Canada to liquidate closing stores
Bargain hunters are one step closer to seeing sales at Nordstrom's closing Canadian locations. At a hearing at Osgoode Hall in Toronto on Monday, the Ontario Superior Court of Justice gave the U.S. retailer's Canadian branch permission to start liquidating its merchandise.
Canada's among central banks try to calm markets after UBS deal to buy Credit Suisse
Some of the world's largest central banks came together on Sunday to stop a banking crisis from spreading as Swiss authorities persuaded UBS Group AG to buy rival Credit Suisse Group AG in a historic deal.