Yellowknife (Mar 21/05) - The Yellowknife fire department is still trying to deal with a critically injured firefighter, and the death of another, the fire chief said Friday.

The roof of a shed - and the four firefighters on top of it - collapsed on Cyril Fyfe, 41, and Kevin Olson, 24, while they were battling a fire inside the structure, March 17.

Olson, originally from Calgary, died shortly after the roof fell.

Fyfe remained on life support and was in critical condition as of 2 p.m. Saturday, though officials would not disclose the nature of his injuries.

Family members, some of whom flew in from Edmonton, gathered at Stanton Territorial Hospital.

"They're doing very well considering what has happened," Chief Mick Beauchamp said of the staff during his first public statement since the fire.

Beauchamp also spoke openly about Fyfe.

"Cyril is a very unique individual," the chief said. "He is so peaceful that sometimes you think he's going backwards," he added, and then laughed.

A well-respected 18-year veteran of the department, Lieut. Fyfe loves to fish, which is something his boys have also picked up.

"It does not matter what the weather's like, you will find him out in his 14-foot boat," said Beauchamp.

Mayor Gord Van Tighem says the city has received condolences from across the country, including a volunteer unit in Gjoa Haven, Nunavut.

All e-mails should be sent to condolences @yellowknife.ca. Other memorials should go to City Hall.

"When this is all over and done, we want to share these with the families," he said of the correspondence.

Fire and ambulance services have remained at full strength, Beauchamp said, but offers of assistance made by larger forces down south may eventually be accepted.

Firefighter Mike Lowing has cancelled a Hawaiian vacation and will be meeting with Olson's family in Calgary, Beauchamp said.

Calgary's fire department will be representing Yellowknife at Olson's funeral in Alberta.

A Yellowknife memorial date will be announced sometime in the future.

This coming weekend's national firefighters curling championship is expected to go ahead.

"(The firefighters) did not want that event cancelled. They wanted it to proceed," Beauchamp said.