The community has come together to offer support after Albert Reinke’s workshop in Steinbach was destroyed by a fire on February 6, 2026.

Fire damaged the detached garage completely, although the main house was not damaged. Albert had spent decades in that shop building and repairing motorcycles, snowmobiles, and quads while collecting rare parts and tools. When Albert’s son, Jonathan, shared the story and how the insurance would not be able to cover everything, the community came to their aid with hands-on help and financial donations.

As Jonathan started a GoFundMe page to help his dad recover, he shared that his father spent most of his adult life in that shop, building and fixing cars, trucks, motorcycles, and anything with a motor. Many of the parts he collected were rare and impossible to replace, and all of it was lost. The shop could not be insured because of a wood stove that did not meet CSA safety standards and therefore is not covered by insurance.

The fundraiser was first set at $3,000 to help with cleanup and to replace some of the income Albert earned from buying and selling vehicles, but donations have already gone beyond that goal. Jonathan said his dad is overwhelmed and grateful, especially since he is not someone who usually asks for help. Along with donations, friends and family have also offered meals, tools, and hands-on help to clean up, and even a local resident has offered to remove scrap materials for free.

With the outpouring of community support, Jonathan is thankful to his neighbours, friends, and the La Broquerie Fire Department for supporting his dad. The GoFundMe page, created by Jonathan Reinke, is live and can be found here.

Source: Adi Loewen, SteinbachOnline