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Popular Harvey restaurant a 'complete loss' after overnight fire

Fire overnight destroyed a popular restaurant in the southern New Brunswick village of Harvey.

The building housing the Loch Pub and Grill is a "complete loss," said Chief Jerrad Swan of the Harvey Fire Department.

When firefighters arrived on the scene around 2 a.m., flames were shooting out of the building, located at Route 3 and Route 636, about 40 kilometres southwest of Fredericton.

Swan said it was a difficult fire to put out because the restaurant has made several additions to the structure over the years.

He believes the fire started in the upstairs part of the building, which is used for storage.

Gary Moore/CBC
Gary Moore/CBC

"About seven years ago, they renovated this and added a piece on the back [that created] little places for the fire to hide on us," Swan said.

A Christmas party was held at the restaurant last night, but no one was inside the building at the time of the fire.

About 40 firefighters fought the flames, including firefighters from the McAdam and Upper Kingsclear fire departments.

Most left the scene at 6 a.m., but some were called back just after 9:30 a.m. to tackle minor flare-ups at the restaurant, which is near Harvey Lake.

Gary Moore/CBC
Gary Moore/CBC

Richard Lourensse, co-owner of the Loch Pub & Grill, said the restaurant employed about 20 people.

'It was a great asset to the community," Lourensse said, adding he's unsure whether the restaurant will be rebuilt.

"That will be decided sometime in the future."

Winston Gamble, mayor of the village, owns and lives in W.W.E. Smith's Country store, a shop down the road from the pub. He saw the fire trucks go by in the early hours of the morning.

Gary Moore/CBC
Gary Moore/CBC

"The fire department was on the ball, and they had trucks and water flying on the building very quickly," Gamble said.

Now that the building is gone, the community will have to find another location to gather, Gamble said.

"It's just devastating, really."

The cause of the fire is under investigation.