Residents of Seal Cove on the Baie Verte Peninsula are picking up the pieces following a devastating fire that destroyed a number of homes and sheds.

The Seal Cove Fire Brigade was joined by members from the Baie Verte, La Scie, and Ming’s Bight fire departments in battling the flames, but in the end the winds were too strong to prevent the fire from spreading.

There were no injuries, but the fire, which is believed to have started in a residential shed early Thursday afternoon, spread to a number of other nearby structures including four homes and two other sheds.

Two of the homes and three of the sheds were destroyed.

Seal Cove Fire Chief Robert Rice says firefighters were on the scene from early afternoon until late last night.

“The wind was a big factor,” he said. “It was high winds yesterday, and where the houses were so close together, I guess we couldn’t control the fire and then it spread to the other houses.”

Two of those houses belonged to members of his own fire department.

Rice put it into perspective with a post on Facebook.

“Yesterday was a devastating day for our community,” he wrote. “I would like to thank all the firefighters from here and surrounding communities who helped us get through the day! A big thank you to all residents that came to help us as well. Prayers for all the families who lost their homes in the fire.”

Baie Verte RCMP are investigating what sparked the fire.