By Val Matthias. Updated 4:03 p.m., Tuesday, April 7, 2026, Atlantic Standard Time (GMT-4).
Minister of National Security St. Clair Leacock has dismissed speculation of foul play in the blaze that destroyed the Calliaqua Police Station, confirming that official reports point to an electrical malfunction.
Speaking on Boom 106.9’s morning show, Leacock said “It is not nefarious as some people are speculating, because there’s nothing nefarious about it. Even the power company has given their report, the police have given theirs, and the electrical inspector has given theirs.”
Investigators determined that the fire began downstairs due to an electrical fault the minister explained that the building’s age and structure of pitch pine and boarded interiors allowedthe flames to spread rapidly once ignited.
The Calliaqua station, which had not been renovated in nearly 25 years, was completely gutted. the roof collapsed, wooden floors were destroyed, and the blaze spread to nearby buildings, including a bakery and a house behind the station. Ammunition stored inside exploded, complicating firefighting efforts. Emergency crews struggled to contain the inferno, with a fire tender from Argyle International Airport dispatched to assist. Despite the scale of destruction, police confirmed that no injuries were reported.
Major Leacock outlined a strategic shift in rebuilding plans. Instead of reconstructing the police station at the burned site, the government may consider leaving the police in the Town Hall and constructing a new Town Hall at Glen Road, where lands are available for possible development “It seems now that it may be practica to leave the police where they are in the town hall and rebuild the town hall where you’re going to put the police station,” he said, noting that final decisions will depend on consultations with engineers and architects. He assured that the burned site, considered prime government property, will eventually be redeveloped to serve the town of Calliaqua.
Just 18 days after the Calliaqua blaze, another fire struck the old Stubbs Police Station in the early hours of Tuesday, March 31 2026. That building, no longer in active use, was extensively damaged. Police confirmed no injuries, and investigations into the cause are ongoing.
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