Fire Destroys Deere Dealership
An overnight fire has completely destroyed a John Deere tractor dealership and repair shop in Sherbrooke, causing some $3 million in damage.
The JLD-Laguë Company building is located on Queen Street in the Lennoxville area. The group is one of the largest John Deere dealers in Canada with 16 branches in Quebec and Eastern Ontario.
At approximately 1:30 a.m., Sherbrooke firefighters were alerted to the presence of smoke and, upon arrival, flames were bursting out of the building.
"The commercial building was stocked with combustible materials, tractors, tires and equipment," said Daniel Gringas, the fire department's deputy director of operations.
"Quickly, we had to retreat because the structure is made of steel and it became unstable. It was dangerous for our team."
According to Daniel Gingras, assistant director of operations, dense smoke escaped the arrival of the first firefighters on site. "The flames started to come out of the roof," he says.
Assumed recovery
It is already concluded that the trade employing 25 people will revive in Sherbrooke, says Robert Loignon, director of marketing of the company. "We directed our operations to the Coaticook branch," he says at La Tribune. For us, it was important to take care of our employees and our customers. Our teams got down to work quickly. A true brotherhood at work! "
"We are definitely going to continue our business relationship with the Sherbrooke region. The Coaticook branch has more of an agricultural component. That of Sherbrooke also has an agricultural component, but also a commercial component with a clientele of snow removal and landscaping, as well as a residential component for homework. "
Mr. Loignon could not say whether the John Deere concession would be reborn in the same place.