Marty Brown
Northern News Services

ARVIAT (Dec 09/98) - A fire in a single dwelling in Arviat Dec. 1 has caused one family to wonder how they are going to spend the Christmas holidays.

Joy Hallauk's family smelled smoke about 5:45 p.m. and got out of the house quickly.

RCMP Corp. Harvey Sneddon said the Arviat Volunteer Fire Department were quick to respond

to the fire call. There were no injuries, although the house was a mess with smoke, fire and water damage throughout.

While at the scene, one of the firefighters approached police and pointed to a vehicle speeding away. "That guy in the fire gear -- he's not even a firefighter," he said.

Police caught up and arrested the individual at the fire hall while he was attempting to remove the fire gear he was wearing.

The 23-year-old man has been charged with theft of the fire gear and will appear in court Dec. 18.

RCMP Const. Sylvie Jeannotte said the weather at the time of the fire was a chilly -30 C, with winds of approximately 40 km/h.

"The fire gear taken by the thief could have been needed by a firefighter who was late getting the call or for any other firefighter who had been fighting the flames but needed to change gear due to ice forming everywhere," she said.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation, however all indications are pointing to an electrical problem, Sneddon said.

The family lost all their belongings in the incident, and being so close to the holiday season, it makes things even more heart-wrenching, Jeannotte said.