Iqaluit (Feb 24/03) - An early morning fire caused by an exploding boiler brought Iqaluit firefighters to a city home Feb. 19.

The fire destroyed two units of staff housing belonging to the Navigator Inn. The building -- it had a two-bedroom and one-bedroom suite -- was located behind the inn.

"Both staff were out of the house," says Diane Webb, hotel general manager. "The house was cold so a furnace man was called. It was when he was working in the house that the boiler exploded, on the 'A' side."

Office manager Johanne Beaudette and maintenance man Louis Melanson are six-year veterans of the inn. They lost everything they had -- clothing, carvings, TV, DVDs and computers.

Although shaken by the incident, both have kept at their jobs, Webb says. "We have them both staying in the hotel. They didn't want to take a day off so they wouldn't have to think about the fire."

Lucky for the pair, Webb was just about to come back from Toronto.

"I was able to pick up some clothes for them," the general manager says.

Fire crew were called to the blaze at 5:50 a.m., says Fire Chief Cory Chegwyn. They had it under control by 8 a.m. and were on the scene cleaning up until 3 p.m.

"From our standpoint, the cold was a factor," Chegwyn says of battling the fire in -39 C temperatures.

"It's hard on equipment and on people," he says of the 22 members who worked the fire.

All that was left were the outer walls. The building's remains will be torn down.

"We think the fire was accidental, but we're confirming events surrounding the fire," Chegwyn says.

Because the fire started in the mechanical room of one of the apartments, it's a lesson for everyone.

"We recommend everyone have their furnace and boiler checked every year," Chegwyn says.

While a specialist should be called on to do direct maintenance, Chegwyn says, residents can do their own care by keeping the furnace room clear of boxes and piles of paper.

"Keep the door closed and be sure it is substantial enough to contain a fire until fire crew arrive," the chief advises.