News & Events
22-1 Maple Avenue
Sussex, New Brunswick Canada E4E 2N5
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News & Events22-1 Maple Avenue |
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A tower of flames and thick, black smoke rise from a home razed by an explsion Aug 13. in Sussex Corner. A 53-year-old man was killed in the blast, the cause of which has yet to be determined. SUSSEX CORNER - The body of a 53-year-old man was found inside the wreckage of his Sussex Corner home following an explosion that levelled the 2,700-square-foot residence Aug. 13. The man has been identified as James Harvey Goddard.
| Goddard's 51-year-old wife, who was also at the home at the time of the explosion, made it to safety. She was taken to hospital after suffering a laceration to the head. Police said she has since be released. Police did not find the man's remains until they were able to safely search inside the home the next afternoon when the fire had dissipated. Emergency crews were called to the house on the Post Road just after 6 p.m. Friday. Twenty-two members of the Sussex Fire Department were dispatched and members of the Penobsquis department came to assist. Sussex Fire Chief Bill Wanamaker said the fire was at the back of the house when they arrived. By the time they cleard out at 1 a.m. there was nothing left of the four-bedroom home. "The house is gone now. It was completely levelled," said Sussex RCMP Sgt. Bruce Reid from the wreckage around 10 a.m. Saturday. "The emergency disposal unit is on the scene now, clearing some explosives." Saturday morning much of the street had still been cordoned off to the public as investigators combed over the scene. Reid confirmed that dynamite and detonating wires were found on the property.
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The RCMP said Goddard worked with explosives in his job with demolition, but would not comment on the cause of the explosion. Ainslie Rodgers lives in a subdivision off of Post Road, and even though her residence is farther away, she said her family definitely felt the effects."Our whole house shook. The dog even got up and she was running around." she said. It was a huge bang. We thought something fell on our house and we went outside to see." Closer to the explosion five homes were evacuated for safety and families were not allowed to retrun until noon Saturday. Lydia Janes lives just down the street from where the Goddard home used to sit. She wasn't at home at the time, but she said she heard the explosion. "There was a huge bang. I was on the golf course when i heard it. I was so loud I thought it must have been something at the mine site," Jane said. "There were a couple of smaller bangs after that, nowhere near as loud as the first, but still loud enough to hear it at the golf course. Ther ewas a big plume of black smoke after that and my husband thought maybe it was a tire fire." The bright yellow, two storey home with an attached triple-car garage sat on an open lot and had recently undergone renovations. It was listed with Pleasant Valley Realty at a price of $360,000.
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Tuesday, July 27, 2010
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Laura MacInnis/KCR |
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Members of Sussex Fire Department spray water on a large propane tank behind Smittys Family Restaurant July 7 after a leak in the tank was reported. The nearby Gateway Mall and Walmart were evacuated as a precaution. SUSSEX - Shoppers at Gateway Mall and Walmart were speedily evacuated July 7 around 5 p.m. in response to a propane tank leak at Smitty's Restaurant. Fire chief Bill Wanamaker said he received a call regarding the leak from a Gateway Mall maintenance worker at 5:02 p.m., and four trucks, a police car and ambulance were on the site within minutes. "Guidelines call for the evacuation of buildings within 330 feet of a leak," said Wanamaker, "so Gateway Mall, Walmart and Smitty's were evacuated." |
According to Gateway mall manager Doug Bannister, a passerby noticed propane shooting from the 907-kilogram (2,000 pound) propane tank that powers Smitty's heating and cooling system, as well as all their appliances. He informed the mall maintenance worker, who called 911 immediately. The heat and sun probably played a role in triggering the pressure release valve, according to Wanamaker. Temperatures in the low 30s were recorded throughout southeastern New Brunswick that day. The cooling of the valve by firemen meant the emergency was under control quickly. The valve was reset and inspected that same evening, although Smitty's didn't reopen until the following morning. Coming so close to the end of the work day it was busy time at the mall, but the evacuation was both quick and orderly. For about a half hour, cars were also prevented from entering the area by a roadblock near the Main Street Esso. "The mall stores were open for business again by 5:45 p.m.," said Bannister. Smitty's owner Craig Little praised Sussex emergency worker for their fast and efficient response. Propane is a gas that has been a factor in explosions - and deaths - across Canada. In late June, a 79-year-old P.E.I. man died fro injuries sustained two months earlier when a stove was lit near an undetected propane tank leak. |
Last year, in Riverview a home was totally destroyed by fire when a propane leak from a backyard barbecue ignited. Wanamaker said the fire department has previously responded to emergencies relating to smaller, private propane tanks. In the case of privately owned propane tanks, such as thouse in use with backyard barbecues, the onus is on the owner to ensure equipment, including valves, are in good repair. For businesses using propane, New Brunswick's Department of Public Safety requires all new propane gas installations be inspected by the propane supplier prior to installation. Public Safety also perform periodic inspections of permanent propane tanks that exceed 454-kilograms (1,000 pound) capacity. |
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Tuesday, July 13, 2010 |
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Jeanne
Whitehead/KCR |
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A 26-year old man from Smiths Creek died after he lost control of the car he was driving July 2 around 1:26 p.m. Sussex RCMP said the vehicle left the road and struck several trees before coming to a stop. Speed has been determined to be a factor and the victim, whose identity has not yet been released, was not wearing a seatbelt. Police are also waiting for the results of a mechanical examination of the car before concluding their investigation. |
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Tuesday, July 6, 2010 |
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McEachern/KCR |
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A
water bomber from Miramichi drops water over a brush fire in Smiths Creek on
May 13. |
SMITHS CREEK - With no easy way to access a quick spreading brush fire near Valleyview Crescent here, the Sussex Fire Department and the Department of Natural Resources brought in water bombers to help them bring the blaze under control May 13. "With the location and no water around it and the wind blowing, it had to be put out from the air," Fire Chief Bill Wanamaker said. The Sussex Fire Department and DNR were called to the fire a short distance outside Sussex mid-afternoon. One of the main concerns was about the wind spreading the fire to nearby homes. Wanamaker said the fire came within about 600 feet from several nearby residences. |
Forest ranger and incident commander with DNR Ashley Fraser said the weather conditions were the reason for calling in the bombers. "It was a windy day and we couldn't see what kind of fuel the fire was heading into. Safety comes fire." The fuel in this case, Fraser explained, would be what kind of trees were present in the area, hard wood or soft wood. The water bombers came from Miramichi and arrived at 5:20 p.m. The bombers, which had been filled the night before, carry a mix water and a fire retardant and gave firefighters the upper hand they needed to bring the blaze under control. Wanamaker said the cause of the fire is still under investigation. "They really don't know at this point." |
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Tuesday, May 18, 2010 |
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Shannon
MacLeod/KCR |
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The Sussex Fire Department would like to
welcome their three newest volunteer members to the department. From left to
right Jordan Lackie, Mike Arnold, Robert Adair. |
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This
home on the Knightville Road in Smiths Creek was destroyed by fire March 16,
leaving Krista Douthwright and Dwayne Hoar and their family homeless. A
benefit was held for them March 28 at Branch 20 of the Royal Canadian Legion
in Sussex. SMITHS CREEK - Left homeless by a March 16 fire, a Knightville Road family of five has been bolstered by family and community support including a fundraising benefit in their honour Sunday afternoon. |
"I'm very thankful my kids are all right," said Krista Douthwright, who said she only had time to grab a phone and usher her three yound children out the door after she discovered flames down the hall in the bedroom. "The kids were in that bedroom watching TV right before supper," she said. "They understand that their stuff's gone, buth they don't understand how bad it could have been." She and her boyfriend, Dwayne Hoar, had lived in the 1974 mobile home for almost four years, along with eight-year old daughter Kacey and sons Devin, five and Bryson, four." The fire happened faster than she ever could have imagined. She was sitting in the kitchen with her children eating supper when she noticed smoke coming from the bedroom and went to investigate. I walked in the room and the curtans were on fire. I pulled the bed out, and the flames shot up," she said. |
She and the children ran out of the house without their coats or shoes. "My cell phone was on the counter and I grabbed it and the kids and went out." Watching in shock as her home burned, Douthwright called 911. It was about 5:50 p.m. Next she called Dwayne, who immediately got a drive home with a coworker at Sussex Tire Shop. Then she called her partents, Pearl and Earl Douthwright. Her father was in shock - he'd just spoken to her a few minutes before. A quarter of an hour later, she was calling back telling him, "we've lost everything." The Sussex Fire Department spent an hour at the scene, assisted by the Millstream Fire Department. According to the Sussex RCMP, the fire was believed to be electrical in origin. Douthwright expressed appreciation for the support of those at the March 28 benefit at the Sussex legion and to all who donated money, clothing and home items after the fire. The couple and their children have been living with family members while looking for a new home. |
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Tuesday, March 30, 2010 |
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MacKenzie/KCR |
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Firefighters remain at the scene after
extinguishing a fire on Elm Street in Sussex. The fire gutted the two story
law office the morning of October 22, 2009. Sussex Fire Chief Bill Wanamaker
said the cause of the fire is under investigation but there was "nothing
suspicious." |
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Tuesday, October 27, 2009 |
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MacKenzie/KCR |
