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Ontario’s Office of the Fire Marshal is investigating a fatal blaze in Fort William First Nation, which marks the fourth trailer fire in the Thunder Bay district within a week.
Crews with Thunder Bay Fire Rescue responded to the incident on Squaw Bay Road shortly after 3 a.m. on Saturday.
The trailer, which was isolated from nearby homes, was found fully engulfed in flames. A total of four pumper crews and the platoon chief responded.
Though the fire was quickly brought under control by the first arriving crew, two people were found dead inside the trailer, Thunder Bay Fire Rescue said in a news release issued Saturday.
The Anishinabek Police Service responded to the incident. CBC News observed members of the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) and the Office of the Fire Marshal at the scene on Sunday.
While the fire department did not say what caused the blaze, its news release said “Thunder Bay Fire Rescue would like to remind the public that working smoke detectors are required by law and extra caution must be taken when using candles.”
The Anishinabek Police Service asks anyone with information about the incident to call 1-888-310-1122.
“Our thoughts are with the entire community at this difficult time. Please visit the supports page on our website for a list of crisis services and resources,” it said in a news release issued Saturday.
Indigenous people are over five times more likely to die in a fire than their non-Indigenous counterparts, according to the National Indigenous Fire Safety Council.
“That number increases to over 10 times for First Nations people living on reserves,” the council says on its website.
The other trailer fires reported in the district over the past week include:
- Nov. 29: Members of the Nipigon OPP and Lake Helen Police Service responded to a trailer fire in Lake Helen First Nation around 11:45 p.m. The OPP says the lone occupant escaped with minor injuries. A 21-year-old man from the First Nation has been charged with arson in connection with the case.
- Dec. 1: Thunder Bay Fire Rescue responded to an evening trailer fire in Fort William First Nation on Anemki Drive. The fire was quickly brought under control. In its news release, the fire department emphasized “the importance of fire safety when utilizing any supplemental heating sources like portable space heaters.”
- Dec. 3: Thunder Bay Fire Rescue responded to a trailer fire on Kingston Street in Thunder Bay around 12:30 p.m. No injuries were reported. Inspectors determined the blaze was caused by a woodburning appliance inside the trailer.
