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Multiple fire stations remain on the scene of a major fish processing plant fire in Nova Scotia's Cumberland County.
Photos and videos posted on social media showed emergency services at the scene of a fire at Aquashell Holdings Inc. in the village of Wallace in the Northumberland Strait.
Cumberland County Chief Administrative Officer Greg Herrett said the fire was under control as of Monday afternoon, but crews were still battling the blaze.
He added that the area near the plant itself was evacuated due to fears of smoke. No injuries were reported.
“We have people who are at least temporarily displaced,” he said.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with the people in Wallace. [The fish plant] is a major employer in the area and it is clear that this will have a devastating impact on many of them, particularly at this time of year.”
District Councilwoman Kathy Redmond confirmed power was out in the Wallace and Malagash areas as firefighters battled the blaze, and a comfort center had been set up at the Wallace Volunteer Fire Department building.
According to Nova Scotia's power outage map, about 460 homes and businesses were without power as of 2 p.m.
“All of our little communities here have always pulled together,” Redmond said, adding that many community members in Wallace are also volunteer firefighters.
“It's very emotional. [I] I hope they all come out of this safely. This is so devastating for a small village that cares so much about each other.”
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