INUVIK - A deliberately-set fire ripped through an unoccupied Bonnetplume Road home on Saturday afternoon and it took the collective effort of 20 firefighters to extinguish the blaze.

RCMP Cpl. Sean Doornbos said he believed the detachment's investigation into the matter had "identified the individuals involved." He was tight-lipped about the number of suspects and their identities but Inuvik Fire Chief Al German and Mayor Derek Lindsay both said the fire was started by children.

Rick Lindsay hoses down the Bonnetplume Road house fire. - Andrew Rankin/NNSL photo

The house at 14 Bonnetplume Road is a public housing unit and had no tenants at the time. No one was hurt in the blaze.

German received the emergency call from RCMP and was the first firefighting official at the scene to inspect the fire at about 5:45 p.m. He said the house was unsalvagable with flames shooting out of the front and back. He paged all firefighters in town to the blaze while RCMP officers closed access to the road.

As firefighters battled the blaze, which bellowed heavy clouds of smoke into the sky, residents congregated along the road to witness the raging fire. German said it took four hours for firefighters to extinguish the flames. The house was completely destroyed.

Houses sat on either side of the engulfed dwelling. One of the structures, which was also owned by public housing, was vacant. The other was occupied but the family was able to evacuate the premises unscathed. Both houses survived the fire without significant damage other than minor damage to the siding and broken windows.

Dave Dekwant watched from across the road as firefighters tackle the blaze and said he was amazed at how much water was needed to extinguish the fire. He said he was relieved no one was hurt in the incident.

"You can always replace a building. You can't replace life," he said.

German echoed Dekwant's sentiments on Monday and heaved praise on his firefighters for a job well done.

"I'm pretty proud of them. I'm damn proud of them," he said.

The Bonnetplume Road house fire was among four calls firefighters responded to on Saturday, including Sir Alexander Mackenzie School at about 8 a.m. A small fire had been lit underneath the school near the rear entrance, which German said could have easily spelled the quick demise of the structure if the department had not been notified immediately.

German said he believed youth were behind that fire as well. Although Cpl. Sean Doornbos wouldn't confirm that, he said the RCMP is investigating the fire and has suspects. He said that they are not the same suspects associated with the house fire.

Mayor Lindsay called the house fire a senseless act and added if the RCMP find that youths were involved in either case they should be punished as a deterrent to others.

"It's just senseless and it's a shame this had to happen, he said. "They should not get away with this."