Const. Woody Woodfine of the Inuvik RCMP says several residents had to be evacuated from four of the neighbouring rowhouses after a fire broke out in the vacant end-unit at 19 Inuit Road around 2:45 a.m.

When firefighters arrived, flames were already licking out of the second-story bedroom. The main fire was suppressed by 2:55 a.m., and the fire was declared out by 3:22 a.m., said Capt. Julie Miller of Inuvik's volunteer fire brigade.

Neighbouring units were not damaged and residents were allowed to return to their homes around 5:30 a.m.

"It was suspicious right in the beginning because it's a vacant structure," Miller said. "Normally you don't get a fire starting in the bedroom of an empty structure."

Police would not say if they had a suspect in the case, only that an investigation was in the works.

The building is owned by Talal Alkhatib, the owner of Inuvik's Fast Food Cafe. Alkhatib's nephew Nasser said a homeless person regularly broke in to sleep and drink in the vacant unit.

"He always broke in any door and stayed in the house," Nasser said.