Rural Manitoba community rallies in aftermath of community store blaze

The Thomson Crossing Community Store in Belair, Man., burned down on Jan. 4, 2023. (Supplied: Duncan Thomson)

A rural Manitoba community has rallied around a family whose small corner store burned down less than two years after opening.

When Duncan Thomson got a call from his alarm company last Wednesday night telling him the alarms were going off at the Thomson Crossing Community Store in Belair, Man., he thought it was a false alarm.

He decided to go check it out anyways.

"As I got closer, I just had this kind of gut-wrenching feeling that something was wrong," Thomson told CTV News.

When he turned onto Belair Road, he found his store engulfed in flames.

Manitoba RCMP confirmed officers had been on their way to the store around 10:15 p.m. on Jan. 4, responding to an alarm, when they got the call that the building was on fire.

Mounties said fire crews responded and extinguished the blaze. The cause of the fire does not appear to be suspicious, and said the office of the fire commissioner was notified.

Thomson said he's thankful no one was injured, but said the building itself is beyond repair.

"We're still working with insurance and everything, but at this point, it looks like it's going to be a total loss," he said.

Thomson, who was born and raised in the neighbouring area of Stead, Man., said he bought the store with his family in March 2021 in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Thomson Crossing Community Store in Belair, Man., opened in May 2021. (Supplied: Duncan Thomson)

"It made me realize when we are all together on quarantine and everything how much I love being with my family all the time," he said.

"So we said, 'well, let's look for something where we can be together, we can work together, we can just be together as a family.'"

Thomson, along with his wife and three children, opened the family-run community store in May 2021, and were welcomed by the community. He said for nearly two years, it was like they were living the dream.

Duncan Thomson along with his wife and three children opened the family-run Thomson Crossing Community Store in Belair, Man., in May 2021. (Supplied: Duncan Thomson)

"We were accepted in like family. As soon as we opened the doors, even before we opened the doors, everybody was coming by and introducing themselves and helping us," he said.

"When we did open, they showed up in droves. They supported us as much as they could, they help us when they could and taught us what they could."

He said that community support has continued, even as they deal with the aftermath of the fire. A GoFundMe page set up for Thomson and his family has raised more than $17,000 as of Monday evening.

"It makes me and my family feel incredibly grateful to be surrounded by that many good and caring people and that that many people cared about us that much," Thomson said. "Everyone has been so good, and they feel like the best friends and family I've ever had."

He said right now, there are a lot of unknowns for him and his family, as they are still working with the insurance company. However, he said he plans to rebuild the store and is looking to use the money raised by the community to get the ball rolling.

"I just really want to make sure everyone knows how grateful we are for everything – from the firefighters to the people checking in on us," he said. "Thank you all so much."