Glen Korstrom
Northern News Services

INUVIK (Jan 08/99) - Though it didn't save Bob Simpson's home, the fire at 33 Alder Dr. Jan. 3 at about 3 p.m. showed how neighbours watch out for each other in Inuvik.

Simpson's neighbour, Gilbert Berry, and Berry's nephew, Stanley Pidborochynski, knocked on Simpson's door to alert him to smoke and some flames on his roof after Pidborochynski initially spotted the blaze.

"I automatically thought of my wood stove downstairs and it was fine," Simpson said Jan. 4 with a touch of shock still in his voice.

"I went and climbed on the roof and there was a lot of smoke. I tried to shovel some snow on that but it was pretty useless."

Next, he jumped off the roof and tried returning inside. Though there was no smoke inside when he had left about five minutes before, the inside of his home was now filling with flames so he fled outside to safety.

Neighbour Tanya Berry had phoned the fire department and trucks were there almost immediately.

"(I feel) not good," Simpson says.

"I just have flashbacks of 'I'm missing this' and 'I'm missing that' -- all the stuff I've been gathering -- books, furniture.'"

Though assistant fire marshall Tim Pawluk gave an initial estimate of fire damage at about $175,000, a cost cannot be placed on Simpson's photos and other sentimental items.

Pawluk ruled out arson as a possible cause and said it appears to be "mechanical," likely meaning an unclean chimney. Still, he could not confirm the exact cause as of press time.

Fire Chief Al German praises his team of volunteer firefighters, many of whom are new and saw their first fire outside of practice.

A second fire, at 34 Franklin St., caused minimal damage earlier in the week, possibly because house sitter Nicole Belliveau called in the fire immediately.

"January and February is our worst time of year because it's the coldest time and everybody is trying to keep warm," German says.

"Do not leave wood stoves or any kind of stoves unattended and do not hesitate to phone the fire department if there is any kind of indication of heat or smoke. Once it gets into the ceiling it's hard to stop. We have no problem coming out and investigating. That's what we're here for."

Simpson says he has an insurance policy and an adjuster will investigate this week with a report to come out in about a week.

"It's just a matter of sometimes they have fine print that you never know about," says Simpson, who spent part of his holiday season in Victoria, B.C. Though he has made trips at other times of the year, this was his first Christmas at his parents' place in 30 years.

Until the fire, the season was enjoyable. Now, Simpson says, "All you can do is start over."