THEBACHA/FORT SMITH
A fire in Fort Smith Feb. 22 has claimed the life of one person. The fire was discovered at about 6 a.m. in a duplex on Pike Street.
A fire at this duplex in Fort Smith Feb. 22 claimed the life of one person. |
According to RCMP, a resident who could smell smoke in the same duplex reported the fire. Occupants of one half of the duplex evacuated the structure and attempted to alert anyone in the other half of the building, but received no answer.
Fort Smith Fire Chief Wes Steed said 13 firefighters responded to the call, and some tried to enter the burning building.
"They attempted to go in the front door," he said, explaining they were forced back by flames and smoke. "The fire was already venting out of the house when the fire department arrived."
Venting is a term for when flames are coming out of a burning structure's windows.
Steed said the fire crew was not initially aware someone was still inside the building, but were later told a person was unaccounted for.
As of Feb. 26, the RCMP had not released the victim's name.
NWT Fire Marshal Chucker Dewar said firefighters responding to the call encountered a fire in the advanced stage of what's called a free-burning state.
"So the fire had been burning for some time," he said.
He said the firefighters had witnessed some of the structural components of the building begin to fall while fighting the fire.
"So they made a decision to move to a defensive operation, which was wise," he said. A defensive operation is when firefighters fight a blaze from only the exterior of the building.
The Office of the Fire Marshal is investigating the incident, in conjunction with the RCMP and the chief coroner of the NWT.
"We're really in the initial stages of the investigation," Dewar said Feb. 24.
"We're making efforts to make the structure safe for investigational purposes."
The fire took the roof off both sides of the duplex and caused heavy damage to the side where it originated. The other side of the building also suffered water damage.
After the fire was extinguished, the remains of the victim were located inside the burned structure.
Cathy Menard, the chief coroner of the NWT, said because of the danger in entering the duplex following the fire, the remains were not removed until about 5 p.m. Feb. 23.
"The NWT Coroner's Service has ordered a post-mortem examination and we have forwarded the remains to Edmonton for the procedure," she said.
"The final results can take four to six months before we get the final autopsy report.
As for the victim's identification, Menard, speaking on Feb. 25, said that could happen in a matter of days as part of the post-mortem examination.
"Identification has not been confirmed," she said, adding she could therefore offer no information, such as gender or age.
Menard also cautioned that, in general, just because a person is known to have lived in a residence, a coroner can't assume that person is the victim if there is a fire at the home.
"You have to do your due diligence to make sure it is who you believe it is," she said.
There is no indication that the death is suspicious, said Menard.
