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Two fires in Iqaluit Families left homeless after morning fires
Peter Worden
The first fire started shortly after 2 a.m. in a 17-unit complex on Tasilik Street. Firefighters, police and paramedics arrived at the Crosswinds row-apartment building 2245 and found smoke pouring out of its windows. Residents were quickly evacuated by RCMP even before fire crews arrived, who managed to contain the fire to three units. Hours later, a second fire broke out down the hill from the Crosswinds, in a single home building 2455 around 6:30 a.m. Once again, RCMP, firefighters and paramedics attended and evacuated residents. The causes of both fires are still unknown at this point, but under investigation now that hot spots in both buildings have been extinguished and the structures deemed safe for reentry. Both buildings had working smoke detectors which helped in getting residents out early and without any injury. The Piviniit Thrift Store opened for people affected by the fire to take whatever they needed free of charge. Crosswinds apartment resident Justin Carnahan said they waited in the back of an ambulance to keep warm. Once the fire was put out, a few residents were allowed to re-enter their units briefly to retrieve some items. "All involved in the rescue acted quickly and were very helpful," said Carnahan, who thanked the fire department for containing the blaze, as well as RCMP and GN housing staff Mike McPherson and Doug Price, who used trucks to shuttle residents to the Arctic Hotel.
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