Farms.com Home   Ag Industry News

Fire burns Sask. equipment dealer

Fire burns Sask. equipment dealer

Damages to the John Deere dealership in Rosthern is estimated to be millions of dollars

By Diego Flammini
Staff Writer
Farms.com

A blaze at a central Saskatchewan farm equipment retailer caused an estimated $20 million in damages.

Rosthern, Sask. firefighters responded to reports of a fire at Cervus Equipment’s John Deere dealership around 10:00 a.m. on Sunday. Crews from five other departments assisted in extinguishing the fire by about 3:00 p.m.

The flames leapt higher than the two-storey building and onlookers heard explosions as the fire intensified, Sean Nichol, an eyewitness to the incident, told The Canadian Press yesterday.

Cervus management are appreciative of the quick response from emergency crews and witnesses. No one sustained any injuries during the incident.

“My sincere appreciation goes out to everyone who reported and responded to this incident,” Graham Drake, CEO of Cervus Equipment, said in a statement Sunday. “Our top priority is safety and right now we’re focused on ensuring the area is safe.”


Rosthern Fire and Rescue photo

The company is developing a plan to keep operations running while the building remains closed. Investigators are determining a cause for the fire.

The dealership employs about 30 people, who will temporarily work out of trailers or be relocated to Saskatoon and Prince Albert locations during this time.

“We’re making sure that our employees are taken care of and then of course our customers, ensuring they’re notified and aware we’re going to continue to service them (and) continue to carry on business as best we can,” Mark Samber, health and safety manager with Cervus, told CBC yesterday.

The outpouring of support for the business and first responders is representative of the small town, residents say.

“So many helping hands! That shows a good community. Thank you all!” Trudy Migneault posted on Rosthern Fire and Rescue’s Facebook page yesterday.

“It’s such a great and powerful thing to see communities pull together in tragic times of need,” Shannon Greene posted yesterday. “Thank you to everyone.”

Rosthern Fire and Rescue photo


Trending Video

Dr. David Rosero: Fat Quality in Swine Diets

Video: Dr. David Rosero: Fat Quality in Swine Diets

In this episode of The Swine Nutrition Blackbelt Podcast, Dr. David Rosero from Iowa State University explores the critical aspects of fat quality and oxidation in swine diets. He discusses how different types of lipids affect pig performance and provides actionable insights on managing lipid oxidation in feed mills. Don’t miss this episode—available on all major platforms.

Highlight quote: "Increasing levels of oxidized fats in swine diets reduced the efficiency of feed utilization, increased mortality, and led to more pigs being classified as culls, reducing the number of full-value pigs entering the finishing barns."

Meet the guest: Dr. David Rosero / davidrosero is an assistant professor of animal science at Iowa State University. His research program focuses on conducting applied research on swine nutrition and the practical application of smart farming. He previously served as the technical officer for The Hanor Company, overseeing nutrition, research, and innovation efforts.