Fires at the City Market

By Connor DeMerchant - 20 August 2026

Fire has historically played a significant role in Saint John’s history, with several earlier city markets being destroyed by fire. Although the newly built City Market survived the Great Fire of 1877, there have been numerous instances over the past century and a half where the building has been threatened with conflagration. The danger of fire was particularly acute in a building that combined wooden stalls, cramped storage areas, and, in its early years, numerous businesses operating in close quarters with individual stoves. 

In the early morning hours of February 3, 1923, a fire at the Market drew residents from across the city's central district after an alarm sounded from the corner of King and Germain Streets shortly after 1:00 a.m. The blaze was traced to O'Neil Brothers butcher stall, where it ignited the wooden framework of the stand. Firefighters responded promptly and found that the fire had remained confined to the stall. Using chemical firefighting equipment, they quickly extinguished the flames before they could spread to the building itself. Although fire and smoke damage destroyed a considerable quantity of meat, the Market structure itself escaped unharmed. As word spread among the assembled crowd that the building was no longer in danger, the large crowd that had gathered gradually dispersed, disappointed that they had been awoken for a less than sizable fire, but relieved that one of Saint John's best-known landmarks had avoided a devastating fire.[1]

In May 1929, fire again threatened the Saint John City Market when smoke was discovered late one evening issuing from the Oliver Lodge rooms used by the I.O.O.F in the Charlotte Street tower of the Market. Detective Sergeant John Saunders spotted the smoke shortly before midnight and immediately raised the alarm, bringing a rapid response from the fire department. Firefighters traced the blaze to an anteroom of the lodge on the third floor and, despite encountering dense smoke, quickly brought it under control using chemical extinguishers and hose lines. To reach the fire, crews tore away portions of walls and ceilings, extinguishing the blaze in less than forty-five minutes. Although the fire itself was confined to the lodge rooms, smoke and water caused damage to several tenants in the building, including offices, a confectionery, and a florist. Salvage crews protected merchandise on the lower floors with waterproof covers, and, importantly, no fire, smoke, or water damage reached the market hall itself. Once again, early detection and a swift response prevented what could have become a far more destructive fire.[2]

During the first week of January in 1955 fireman were called to the Market for a small fire in the stall of M. Gordon and Sons Ltd. The cause of the blaze, which was swiftly extinguished, was a flooded oil burner.[3] Another close call for the Market came just a month later in February 1955 when defective electrical wiring sparked a fire within the Germain Street tower of the Market Building. The blaze spread through concealed spaces in the second-floor ceiling of the tower, making it difficult to access. Fortunately, a watchman, Joseph Reardon, discovered the fire almost immediately and alerted the fire department. Firefighters spent more than an hour extinguishing the blaze, cutting through sections of the upper floor to reach the source. Although the fire caused localized damage, officials agreed that the early detection and rapid response likely saved the historic Market from a far more destructive fire.[4] The Germain Street tower, which had been deteriorating for some time, was demolished later in the year. It is unclear if the fire contributed to this decision. 

In December 1977 a serious fire occurred in the Market when a blaze broke out in the stockroom above Hubert's Delicatessen during the early morning hours. Believed to have originated in the oven of a propane stove, the fire spread to the wall and ceiling before being brought under control by the building's automatic sprinkler system. Although the Market's opening was delayed by about half an hour, damage was largely confined to the delicatessen and its stockroom. Proprietor Hubert Nowak estimated that the damage amounted to as much as $30,000. Much of the financial loss was from meat and other inventory, much of it brought in in advance of the holiday season, that was soaked by the sprinkler system rather than destroyed by the flames. Market officials later credited the sprinkler and alarm systems with preventing a far more destructive fire.[5]

The most recent fire occurred in February 2021 when a small fire broke out on the Market's roof while roofing work was underway. The fire, believed to have been caused by heat from a contractor's torch, was confined to the roof over the Germain Street entrance. Prompt action by the Saint John Fire Department prevented the blaze from spreading through the historic building, resulting in only minor damage. The Market resumed normal operations the next day.[6]

Quick action by firefighters and vigilant staff over the years, and, more recently, increasingly effective fire-prevention systems, have helped ensure that the Market survived these incidents and continues to stand as one of Saint John’s most enduring landmarks.

[1] “Crowds Turn Out In Early Morning for Fire Alarm.” The Telegraph Journal. 3 February 1923, Pg. 10.

[2] “Fire Damages Quarters in City Market Bldg.” The Evening Times Globe. 28 May 1929, Pg. 8.

[3] “Damage Slight.” The Telegraph Journal. 7 January 1955, Pg. 14. 

[4] “Market Building Damaged by Fire.” The Telegraph Journal. 24 February 1955, Pg. 16. 

[5] “City Market Outlet Damaged by Fire.” The Evening Times Globe. 16 December 1977, Pg. 19.

[6] “Small Fire Contained on City Market Roof.” The Telegraph Journal. 20 February 2021, Pg. C2.

Photo: Saint John fire truck in front of the station on King Street East, c. 1930s (PANB - P243/124)