Whale Cove (Feb 04/04) - A grease fire has left a Whale Cove family homeless.

The hamlet's fire department was called to the private residence shortly after 5 a.m. on Jan. 24.

Firefighters were on the scene in about five minutes. Whale Cove fire chief Robert Angootealuk said they may have been able to save the house if not for problems with the fire truck's water pump.

"When we first got to the scene the pump was running great," said Angootealuk.

"The water truck was filling our tanks and we weren't having any problems during that operation.

"Then it ran out of water, so we had to run up to the pump house.

"That's when the pump froze solid and we couldn't do anything about it."

Whale Cove has an older model fire truck with the pump located on the outside of the vehicle.

Newer model fire trucks have the pump enclosed which is less likely to freeze up.

Angootealuk said seven firefighters were aided by hamlet workers in battling the blaze.

He said two other firefighters were out on a course at the time of the fire.

"It would have been a tough fire to contain even with the pump working properly because somebody left the door open when they left the house and the fresh air pouring in really rushed the fire along," Angootealuk.

The owner of the dwelling received burns on her arms and legs from being splashed with cooking oil.

She was medevaced to Winnipeg for treatment on non-life-threatening injuries.

There were also three children in the home at the time of the blaze.

The children were not harmed.

"I'm not really too sure on the exact circumstances that led to the fire.

"I have to wait for the homeowner to return before I can find out what happened.

"All I can say at this point is that it was a grease fire," said Angootealuk.

Training needed

Angootealuk says his crew did a great job, considering most of them have never taken a firefighting course.

"There are only three or four of us in the hamlet who have proper training.

"We're trying to get training for all our men.

"When the SAO tells us there's a course going on, we're going to try and get everybody who doesn't have the training to go," says Angootealuk.