Sexton Lumber operations suspended indefinitely nearly 2 weeks after fire - CBC

Kevin Sexton of Sexton Lumber Co. Limited is pictured here in April, 2026. (Danny Arsenault/CBC)Social SharingOperations at Newfoundland and Labrador’s largest sawmill are suspended following a late-October fire at its facility in Bloomfield.

In a written statement Monday, the N.L. Forestry Industry Association said Sexton Lumber’s interruption will affect a “significant network” of industry members throughout the province. 

The company supports hundreds of direct and indirect jobs, according to the statement.

“Sexton Lumber recognizes the uncertainty this interruption creates for its employees, contractors, customers, agricultural partners, suppliers, and the broader business community,” the statement reads.

The fire, which burned the night of Oct. 29, caused significant smoke damage to the facility, according to the industry association. Assessments are underway while harvesting, log purchasing and major operations are on hold.

A fire at the sawmill in 2014 destroyed the company's holding building. There was another close call last September due to a fire in Lethbridge.

Sexton Lumber, owned by Kevin Sexton, has the capacity to produce about 65 million board feet per year, said the statement. It also supplies its products to 26 farms across N.L.

A timeline for operations to get back on track has not yet been determined.

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Maddie Ryan is a reporter with CBC News in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador. Reach her at madison.ryan@cbc.ca.