Historic Fires of Fredericton

    Simpson Sears Fire
    December 19, 1963

    Daily Gleaner - 1965

    From the Daily Gleaner

    Loss In Capital Fire Estimated At $750,000

FREDERICTON - Simpsons-Sears Limited plans to inaugurate a crash program to re-construct in as short a time as possible a new department store to replace the one gutted by fire here early yesterday.

Firemen stood by overnight to fight small spot blazes that erupted occasionally in the burnt-out hulk.

Damage is unofficially estimated at $750,000 in the blaze that is believed to have started about midnight Wednesday in the furnace room on the second floor. Fire Chief Harold Doherty says the flames had gained a good foot-hold through the fire ducts when the first call was received shortly after 5 a.m. The blaze was not brought under control for at least one and one-half hours.

The company has set up temporary quarters in the Windsor Hotel to take and to carry on its insurance business.

The first report to the fire department was that a truck was ablaze in the alleyway adjacent the department store, but as soon as equipment arrived it was discovered flames were licking through the upper floor of the building.

A number of firemen had to scramble to safety when the roof collapsed and buckled the walls. The flames were prevented spreading to adjacent stores.

A huge supermarket that stood on the same site was destroyed by fire late in January, or early in February of 1956 in much the same weather conditions. The Simpsons-Sears Company has been on the site since Nov. 1960.