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IQALUIT - On Friday afternoon, Martha and Ipeelee Inookee were hard at work moving into their new residence, but it was clear that the memory of the fire that tore through their home early Thursday morning would not be extinguished for some time.

Martha and Ipeelee Inookee are thankful that their dog Butch woke them up before a fire consumed their home last Thursday morning. - Herb Mathisen/NNSL photo

"It's still fresh in our heads," said Ipeelee.

"It's a nightmare," said Martha.

Their home at 3050 Apex near Iqaluit was destroyed by a fire last Thursday and temporarily left the family of eight without a home.

Things could have been far worse, however, had it not been for their courageous dog, Butch, who alerted Martha to the fire and enabled the family to escape the blaze without injury.

"If it wasn't for her, I don't know," said Ipeelee, smiling at Butch, who yawned on the front step of the family's new home.

"She woke me up, banging and knocking and scratching," said Martha of the dog that rarely ever wants to come indoors.

Half-asleep, Martha shook Butch off at the door. When the dog bit her hand, though, she got her attention.

"It's still numb," said Martha, rubbing between her index and middle finger knuckle on her left hand.

Martha then noticed the fire and rushed to wake her children and rush them out of the house.

Ipeelee said eight to 10 people were in the house at the time of the fire.

News reports Thursday had made Butch a local celebrity by Friday morning. Ipeelee said people had been coming by all day wanting to see the heroine.

Ipeelee, who ran a dog team for 20 years, said he was not surprised by Butch's heroic act.

"I know what they can do," he said. "You have to learn from them."

Fire crews were called to the blaze at approximately 2 a.m., Thursday morning, said Chris Wilson, Iqaluit deputy fire chief.

When they arrived with both fire trucks and an ambulance, a quarter of the structure was engulfed in flame and crews tried to contain the fire.

Water trucks were on the scene at approximately 2:20 a.m. to supply crews, who doused the building from the exterior.

Wilson said the fire was not under control until around 3 a.m., when power lines were disconnected and part of the building had collapsed.

"We did everything we could to preserve as much structure as possible," he said.

Wilson would not comment on whether arson was suspected, saying he was passing on the information he had to the fire marshal.

"I haven't been given any explanation as to how this fire started from its location on the outside of the home," said Wilson.

"If it wasn't accidental occurrence, then we haven't found out what the source is," he said.

Ipeelee said he believed the fire began outside, thinking something - or someone - set his snow machine on fire.

"We are investigating it," said RCMP Sgt. Kim Melenchuk. "At this point in time, (we) have not determined whether it was an arson or an accidental fire."

Peter Scott, president of the Nunavut Housing Corporation, said 11 people were listed as residents in the four-bedroom home.

"That's three people per bedroom," said Scott, adding that means 11 more people will be put on the expanding waiting list for housing.

Also, with the destruction of the home, Scott has added one more unit to the 27 public housing units planned for construction next year.

Martha and Ipeelee were busy taking in clothes from generous Iqalummiut Friday while friends and family washed walls and turned their new house into a home.

"I want to thank housing for getting us a house right away and everyone in Iqaluit for donating clothes," said Martha.

The family did not have tenants' insurance.

"It's all lost," said Ipeelee.

"Everything," Martha added.

Ipeelee estimated he had lost $50,000 worth of hunting equipment.

"The equipment can be replaced," said Ipeelee. "Not right away, but eventually. The family is alive and well."

Some of Martha and Ipeelee's children were staying with Ipeelee's sister in Apex, but he expected the family would soon be reunited at their new residence.