ST. JOHN’S – A foul-smelling deserted fish-sauce manufacturing facility in rural Newfoundland has change into an environmental and security hazard after excessive winds tore the entrance wall off the constructing on Friday night time.
Steve Ryan, the mayor of St. Mary’s, N.L., mentioned there are extra winds coming and he has been talking with residents close to the decaying constructing about evacuating.
Ryan is apprehensive their properties can be within the path of flying particles. He’s additionally involved concerning the fetid stench emanating from greater than 100 vats of fermented, congealed fish which were oozing contained in the plant for greater than 20 years.
“The odor was being contained earlier than as a result of it was within a constructing,” he mentioned in an interview. “Now the constructing just isn’t actually there anymore, it’s simply completely uncovered. So the odor goes to be a lot, a lot worse for residents.”
The Atlantic Seafood Sauce Firm Ltd. constructing sits on the shoreline of the city of about 300 folks, simply steps away from the ocean. It first opened in 1990, bringing about two dozen much-needed jobs to the realm, Ryan mentioned. The proprietor deserted it a few decade later, after prolonged authorized battles about meals security complaints.
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Residents awakened Saturday to seek out a lot of the wall closest to the water had come off. A part of it lay contained in the plant, a part of it was strewn on the seaside in entrance of the constructing and half had blown out to sea, Ryan mentioned.
There are wealthy fishing grounds simply off the shore. With out the wall, there’s nothing a lot to guard the ocean from the liquids which have seeped out of the outdated sauce vats and fashioned a putrid, poisonous stew contained in the constructing over time, Ryan mentioned.
“That is an emergency now,” he mentioned. “Federal ministers mentioned it’s not environmental, it’s environmental. Take heed to a small-town mayor in St. Mary’s: it’s environmental.”
He hopes the Canadian Coast Guard or another federal company will provide some assist to maintain run-off from the constructing out of the ocean. In an announcement, the federal Division of Nationwide Defence mentioned the state of affairs was not a coast guard matter.
The provincial authorities mentioned final yr that it will foot the invoice to wash up the positioning, and the previous Liberal authorities even put aside cash for the operation within the province’s finances. However Ryan mentioned the method has been gradual and he hasn’t but been in a position to subject a request for proposals for the work.
Within the meantime, Atmosphere Canada is warning that winds gusting to 100 kilometres an hour are anticipated within the area on Monday. Sunday morning can be anticipated to blustery, with wind gusts hitting 70 km/h.
“The great-side approach to have a look at that is one thing will truly must be performed now with this web site,” Ryan mentioned.
This report by The Canadian Press was first revealed Jan. 17, 2026.
© 2026 The Canadian Press
