Kevin Wilson
Northern News Services

Cambridge Bay (Sept 03/01) - An American hunter died of injuries suffered in an Aug. 26 fire that also left three others severely burned.

Police say they were alerted to the fire at an outpost camp about 125 kilometres southeast of Cambridge Bay at approximately 6:45 p.m. last Sunday. Six American sport hunters, plus a Canadian from Ontario employed as a camp cook, were in the cabin at the time of the fire.

Reports indicated that a camp stove exploded.

The cook and three of the American hunters were first medevaced to Stanton Regional Hospital, then to the burn unit at University of Alberta Hospital in Edmonton.

J. Jay Hampson, an attorney from Lancaster, Ohio, suffered burns to 80 per cent of his body, while the others had burns to about 20 per cent of their bodies.

Hampson was taken off life support Wednesday, and died before 2 p.m. on Thursday.

The Department of Sustainable Development confirmed that the camp was operated by Canadian North Outfitters.

At the request of the families, Lori Cowell, a spokesperson for the Capital Health Authority in Edmonton said no further information about the condition and identity of the other victims would be released.

RCMP and the Nunavut Fire Marshall's office are investigating the cause of the blaze.