House fire causes $200,000 in damages
Smoke detector wakes family in time to get out safe
Miranda Scotland
Northern News Services
Published Monday, January 26, 2015
AKLAVIK
An early morning fire caused an estimated $200,000 in damage to a family home in Aklavik Jan. 20.
No one was hurt during the blaze, according to a news release from the RCMP.
The family, two adults and a child, stayed with relatives following the fire and the housing corporation was expected to have a unit available for them within the week, Cst. Chris Whynot told News/North.
The homeowner woke to the sound of the smoke detector going off at 1 a.m. He attempted to put the fire out before calling for help and fleeing the house with his family.
It took the Aklavik Volunteer Fire Department and several community members about an hour to get the fire under control. Crews had to contend with temperatures of -40 C and strong winds, said Whynot.
"It was very challenging with the cold weather," he said. "We get things freezing, connectors don't match up when there's ice built up so you have to wipe the metal clean. There's water dripping on peoples gloves and that makes it very cold and very challenging."
The fire started in the furnace room and is not considered suspicious. The exact cause is undetermined.
Most of the family's personal effects were salvaged but there was damage to the flooring, insulation, pipes and electrical components, said Whynot.
"This is a good time to remind everyone to check their smoke detectors to ensure they are operating. Have your chimneys cleaned and your furnace serviced. Consider speaking with your local fire department about a fire safety plan for your home," stated Whynot in the news release. "This is another example of how effective smoke detectors are at saving lives."
