.

Home page

Text size

E-mail this page

SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE - A fire tore through a Catalina Drive trailer Wednesday evening, leaving a father and three young children homeless.

Neighbours said the man was ice skating with his kids when his ex-father-in-law spotted smoke from his home across the street at the Northland Trailer Park.

"It's just good the kids weren't in there," said George Hebert, who lives next-door.

Hebert said he and his roommate called the Yellowknife Fire Department at about 7 p.m.

There were no flames visible from the single-wide trailer when firefighters arrived on scene. Smoke was coming from the rear of the building.

"As soon as they opened the door, they had dark smoke coming at them and lots of heat," said deputy fire chief Gerda Groothuizen.

It took 29 firefighters three hours to put out the blaze, which started in a bathroom and quickly spread through the home. No people or pets were in the trailer.

The fire is under investigation but officials say damage is estimated at $150,000 to the structure and $50,000 to the contents.

Nearby trailers were evacuated and a number of people were outside watching the fire.

"A lot of black smoke was just billowing out," Hebert said, pointing to the blackened trailer. "She was smoldering pretty good in there."

The occupants were not on the scene Wednesday night. Neighbours said they went to a friend's house to keep warm.

"We feel bad for them," said Catherine McManus, a neighbour whose daughter plays with the victim's children. She said neighbours were already talking about how they could help the family - providing clothes, dishes, sheets or a place to stay.

"We can do that," she said.

This is the second fire at Northland this year. A fire killed two family pets on Norseman Drive in January.

"They're older trailers," said fire chief Albert Headrick. "When you get fires of any significance, they're pretty well written off."

Groothuizen said the homeowner had renovated the trailer, which was built in the late-1970s. If he hadn't installed drywall, the fire would have spread much faster, she said. Still, the fire ruined the entire home. Firefighters pulled down walls to ensure the blaze was out.

"I don't think there's much that's salvageable," said Groothuizen.