Yellowknife (Apr 25/03) - RCMP are investigating a fire in a public restroom inside the Centre Square Mall last week.

Two firefighters entered the washroom, outside the Mackenzie Lounge, about 4 p.m. last Tuesday. Although the fire's heat was low, fire fighters could see nothing because of smoke.

To demonstrate how the camera works, Lieut. Mike Dunsmore aimed it at firefighter Rob Andrews. Because Andrew's body temperature is higher than room temperature, he shows up as white. Inset: The fire department's thermal imaging camera translates heat into pictures. Subjects with higher temperatures come up as white pictures, explained Lieu. Mike Dunsmore.- Jennifer McPhee/NNSL photos

The first firefighter in quickly located the fire.

The second firefighter -- using a thermal imaging camera -- found a man lying behind the door covered in soot.

The victim, unconscious and unresponsive, was medevaced to Edmonton.

According to Lieut. Mike Dunsmore, the man was able to sit up in the ambulance. He suffered no burns.

"He had been in there at least 10 minutes, said Dunsmore, "which is a significant amount of time in that atmosphere."

Dunsmore said the thermal imaging camera was purchased by the fire department last year and cost between $20,000 and $25,000.

It works by processing differences in temperature and translating them into pictures on a screen.

It's hard to say if the camera saved the man's life, said Dunsmore, but it definitely minimized his injuries.

"We may not have seen him," he said.

This type of technology has been around for about a decade, said Dunsmore, and is increasingly getting better. "It's attributed with saving lives all across the United States and Canada."

Rene Raque, general manager of the Yellowknife Inn said it was the plastic around the toilet paper in the handicapped stall that was on fire.

He said the fire wasn't hot enough to set off the mall's sprinkler system.

RCMP Sgt. Al McCambridge said the investigation is continuing, but wouldn't say whether the fire was an accident or intentionally set.