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Burned but not cooked: Businesses recover from fire with Port Hardy community support

Local businesses are vital to our communities and when a fire wipes out four of them in just a few hours, it is tough to recover.

North Island Gazette, Black Press

Local businesses are vital to our communities and when a fire wipes out four of them in just a few hours, it is tough to recover.

But not so on the North Island. There was no time wasted on fire sales or self pity. Within days, even hours, some of the four businesses were up and running again in new locations.

And that is a testament to local customers who realize the value of local stores and services.The people who lent a helping hand are also the people who shop locally, who support local business people and the local economy. These folks rolled up their sleeves and helped business owners reclaim what they could from the ashes and get set up elsewhere. And some businesses are now in better locations than they were before, revitalized by a fresh start.

Had these businesses been lost, the community would have lost too.

And special kudos must go to the volunteer firefighters who made every effort to retrieve important equipment and documents, particularly from lawyer Paul Grier's office, saving an enormous amount of time, money and aggravation for residents of the community.

Seldom is a fire in the community a good news story. With help from the community, fate has turned to good fortune for four businesses who have had the opportunity to re-open for business.