Sexton Lumber, the largest sawmill in Newfoundland and Labrador, has suspended operations indefinitely after a fire on the night of October 29 caused heavy smoke damage at its mill in Bloomfield, CBC News reported, citing a statement by the Newfoundland and Labrador Forestry Industry Association.
Harvesting, log purchasing and major operations are on hold while the damage is assessed, and no date has been set for a restart. The mill, owned by Kevin Sexton, has capacity of about 65 million board feet a year and supports hundreds of direct and indirect jobs. It also supplies products to 26 farms across the province.
The association said the interruption will affect a "significant network" of industry members across the province. A fire in 2014 destroyed the company's holding building, and another fire in nearby Lethbridge in September 2025 came close to the mill.