A view of the downtown area. (Nigel Maxwell/ paNOW Staff)

By Nigel Maxwell

Fire response

Downtown businesses breathe sigh of relief after devastating fire

Dec 31, 2025 | 12:00 PM

Almost a week after a fire that destroyed the Salvation Army building in downtown Prince Albert, a lingering smell of smoke still fills the air at Central Avenue and 12th Street East.

Sweet Stells bakery is located two doors down and was among the many nearby businesses that were saved.

“I was awake until one o’clock in the morning watching fire crews, wondering if I had a location or not,” owner Crystel Hill recalled for paNOW.

For Hill, the biggest challenge was getting power restored so she could finish an order of cakes.

“I don’t have any smoke smell left in here or anything. It’s been amazing,” she said.

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As a way of thanking fire crews, Hill plans to bake them a special batch of cinnamon buns.

Further down the block is Fresh Air Experience and Owner Mike Horn confirmed they were spared both smoke and water damage.

“Fortunately we got out of this terrible situation unscathed,” he said.

On the night of the fire, Horn, along with his dad and son, drove downtown and like many others stood by and watched helplessly as the massive blaze tore through the structure. He acknowledged there was a realization they might lose the store that was first opened in 1979.

“There were lots of things going through our minds and it was pretty scary,” he said.

“Thankfully with the hard work of the fire department… they did an extraordinary job and were able to to save the block.”

Horn who has since contacted Fire Chief Olsen and thanked him personally for the department’s work, recalled the fire also represented a unique experience to see up close the firefighters in action and speak with one of the captains who explained what they were doing.

“Just the strategy and the education that these guys go through to fight fires is really interesting,” Horn said.

On Tuesday, when paNOW spoke to some other businesses in the area, while some admitted to dealing with some basement flooding from the response effort, they too were equally grateful to still be open.

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nigel.maxwell@pattisonmedia.com

On X: @nigelmaxwell