Bridgewater Police have confirmed that a deceased person was found inside the remains of a King Street apartment building following a devastating fire that tore through two structures on June 10, 2026. The Bridgewater Police Service believes the person is a resident who had been unaccounted for during the emergency.
The fire broke out around 11:45 a.m. and quickly spread from the apartment complex to a neighboring building, with a third structure at risk. About 60 firefighters from roughly 15 departments across the region fought the blaze until 11:07 p.m. before bringing it under control. Deputy Chief Danny MacPhee said the intensity of the fire was unlike anything he has seen in his 27-year career.
“I’ve never seen a fire this intense and engulfed so fast,” MacPhee said. “Nobody would have been able to get in that building safely and make it out alive.” He noted the building was fully engulfed within minutes of crews arriving, despite the fire chief reaching the scene within one minute of the 911 call.
Ten people were left without homes, including one Bridgewater firefighter who helped battle the flames. The Canadian Red Cross set up a support center at town hall to help displaced residents find shelter and services.
Investigators from Bridgewater Police, the Nova Scotia Office of the Fire Marshal, and the Nova Scotia Medical Examiner’s Office are working to confirm the victim’s identity and notify family members before releasing further details. The cause of the fire remains undetermined, though early scans showed no clear signs of arson. King Street was still closed as of June 12 for debris cleanup, but public works crews expected to reopen the road around 8 a.m. that morning.
