Amanda Vaughan
Northern News Services
Wednesday, July 18, 2007

YELLOWKNIFE - The Centre for Northern Families' staff now knows just how handy it is to be up to date on fire drills.

A fire broke out at the centre last Friday morning, believed to have started in a clothes dryer. Firefighters were on the scene very quickly, and the blaze was extinguished before it did any serious harm, however there was significant water damage.

Firefighter Dave Sundberg briefs the Centre for Northern Families' staff on the damage to the facility and when they might be able to use it again after a small fire broke out in the centre's clothes dryer on Friday, June 13. - Amanda Vaughan/NNSL Photo

The centre's receptionist, Maria Carlos Hajcik, said that the staff were lucky, there were no children in the house at the time and they had just rehearsed fire drills about a week prior to the incident.

Firefighter Dave Sundberg was impressed with the centre's staff, saying that their speedy evacuation of about 30 people helped the fire crew to focus on putting out the fire as soon as they had been given the all clear to indicate that everyone was out.

Sundberg also mentioned that the staff were able to give the firefighters an exact location of the fire and knew the layout of the house well enough to be an asset to his crews.

The fire was still under investigation on Monday, and the fire department had not yet released further details as to the exact cause of the fire.

The centre's executive director, Arlene Hache, was just glad that nobody was hurt.

"It was definitely not as serious as it could have been. I am really proud of the team we have here," she said in reference to her staff's efficient evacuation of the building.

Hache has been able to house all of the women from the shelter at the Side Door Youth Centre, a solution she said is working out very well for an emergency decision.

Hache said they believe the women will be able to move back into the shelter around the end of the week, and until then they will be keeping a close eye on the Side Door to ensure the temporary arrangement is still running smoothly. The day care, however, is going to be closed until September, she estimated.

It was the hardest hit by the water damage, though the rest of the house had extensive water damage, and is now prone to mold after sitting for a couple of days.

The women's possessions as well as the contents of the centre are all covered by the centre's insurance, and Hache said they expect the damage assessment to be in by the end of the week.