PUBLIC UPDATE
FIRE INCIDENT FD21-089
McCauley Apartments
June 3, 2021 – 2:00 pm
At 06:58 am on June 3, 2021 Inuvik Fire was dispatched to 195 Mackenzie Rd, known as McCauley (TeePee) Apartments, for reports of a fire under the structure, with smoke migrating into the rear of the building. Witnesses reported that two children were seen under the building.
Upon arrival, fire crews were met by tenants evacuating. The fire was located under the building and quickly extinguished by the first arriving fire personnel and RCMP at 07:04. After a primary search, no children were found under or near the building. Fire personnel surveyed the underside of the structure for any other fires or fire extension. As a precaution, the underside of the nearby Chief Jim Koe Building was also searched to ensure no other fires were present.
Inuvik Fire commends the tenant of the apartment that was first alerted to the fire. She reported that she could smell smoke and that smoke was entering her apartment. She and another occupant quickly alerted other tenants to evacuate and initiated contact with emergency services.
Once an all clear was called, firefighters accompanied tenants to their apartments to assess for any presence of fire spread or smoke and ventilated to clear smoke from the building. Inuvik Fire responded with 11 personnel, in 3 apparatus, in addition to RCMP. All crews cleared the scene by 08:18.
RCMP subsequently located two youths, under the age of 12, who allegedly started the fire. Investigation and actions are being undertaken with the children and their parents.
At 08:28, RCMP notified the Fire Department of a second fire on the shore of Twin Lakes, which they had extinguished. Fire crews responded to fully extinguish the fire and conduct overhaul, clearing the scene by 08:48 am.
Both Inuvik Fire and the RCMP are concerned about these events. The fire under the apartment building put the tenants at serious risk to health and life, in addition to damaging property. The consequences could have had much more tragic.
It should be noted that several groups of children were observed to be in the area, not only at the time of the fire, but throughout the night and early morning. We recognize that while mostly innocent, groups of children may also create a situation where peer pressure affects a child’s ability to make safe decisions.
We ask all caregivers to:
• speak to their children about the dangers of fire
• ensure that matches and lighters are kept out of reach and inaccessible
• encourage children to contact emergency services if they witness unsafe behaviour that may threaten people’s life and property
If you are concerned about fire setting behaviour in youth, please contact Inuvik Fire for further resources, assistance and referrals.
MEDIA CONTACT:
Cynthia Hammond
Director of Protective Services/Fire Chief
Town of Inuvik
PO Box 1160, 2 Firth St.
Inuvik, NT X0E 0T0
Office: 867.777.8637
