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Kennebecasis Valley Fire Department

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Heavy damage to garage after fire in Rothesay

A detached garage in Rothesay has been left with heavy damage after a fire that came close to spreading to a nearby home.

Kennebecasis Valley Fire Chief Shawn White said firefighters were called to Dofred Road around 9:30 p.m. on Wednesday.

Firefighters arrived to find the garage engulfed in flames.

White explained the vehicles were inside the structure, along with propane and acetylene tanks.

He said the flames came within feet of the home.

“The home did sustain a little bit of melting from the heat, but the fire was able to be contained from extending into the home,” White said.

About 12 firefighters responded and remained on scene for roughly an hour and a half.

The chief also said that crews had a bit of a struggle dealing with the fire inside the garage.

“Not only did we have to put the fire out in the garage, but we also had to get in and try to make sure all the fires and the vehicles were extinguished as well,” White explained.

“This involves removing the hood and things like that to get all the hidden fire out from around the vehicle.”

White highlighted that mutual aid tankers from Hampton, Simonds, Saint John and Nauwigewauk were requested because the area has no fire hydrants, though KVFD had the fire under control before extra water was needed.

Ambulance New Brunswick and the RCMP also responded, and the road was blocked for about an hour.

There were no injuries, and the cause remains under investigation.

Hampton_Road_Fire_May22_2026

UPDATE: Quispamsis house fire leaves two homeless

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No one was injured but two people won’t be returning home any time soon after a house fire in Quispamsis Friday evening.

Kennebecasis Valley Fire Department Chief Shawn White said the department got the call around 8 p.m. to a structure fire on Hampton Road near the Quispamsis Memorial Arena.

“There was a large amount of fire on the back of the home that had extended up into the attic,” White said.

He said crews knocked down the exterior fire quickly, but it took some time to get into the attic and extinguish the fire there.

“It was a stubborn fire because of the fact it was stuck inside the attic space of the home,” he added.

White said it looked like the fire had started in the rear deck area of the house.

The exact cause is still being investigated, but White said it doesn’t appear to be suspicious.

White said two people in the home were able to get out safely thanks to some passersby who saw the smoke and alerted the residents.

Traffic was diverted around the scene for several hours while crews worked inside and outside the house.

Editor’s note: This story has been edited to remove reference to open flames as the possible cause of the fire. In fact, the Kennebecasis Valley Fire Department had not determined the cause as of publication. Acadia Broadcasting apologizes for the error.

KV_ Fire Chief Mike Boyle_Alex Allan_Acadia Broadcasting

KV fire chief retires after more than 20 years of service

Kennebecasis Valley Fire Chief Mike Boyle is closing out a long career in public service.

Boyle spent more than two decades with the Kennebecasis Valley Fire Department, starting as a volunteer before moving into a full‑time role and eventually becoming chief.

He said the people he worked with shaped his career as much as the calls themselves.

“I’ve made friends along the way that have become lifelong friends,” he said.

Boyle said the fire service has changed significantly since he joined in 1998, with new technology, more complex incidents and major improvements in protective equipment.

He said tools like drones and thermal imaging cameras were unimaginable when he started, but the purpose of the job never changed.

“The older you get, the desire to serve and to help people becomes more important,” he said.

He pointed to the department’s accreditation through the Commission on Fire Accreditation International as a major milestone.

The Kennebecasis Valley Fire Department was the first in New Brunswick to earn the designation, which Boyle described as a proud moment for the entire team.

The Kennebecasis Valley Fire Board said Boyle led the department for nearly four years as chief and helped oversee the renovation and expansion of Station 2.

The board thanked him for his professionalism and character, saying it was proud of his contributions to the community.

Boyle said he will continue working in public service in a new role with the Government of New Brunswick.

Deputy Chief Shawn White, who has served in the role for four years, will oversee day‑to‑day operations while the search for a new chief begins.

Regular service is not expected to be affected during the transition.