A building on the corner of Franklin Avenue and 53rd Street burned down early Monday morning.
The building officially listed at 5002 53rd St. was unoccupied at the time according to Ray Decorby, the owner of the building.
According to a document publicly listed by the City of Yellowknife lists the building as being constructed in 1946 by prospect Frank Moyle and was one of the first residences in the city's downtown core. An eyewitness to the fire said that the fire began around 1 a.m. on Monday morning.
“There was a car honking and water was being poured on it from the Franklin side of the road,” said Simon Cloutier, a resident that lives down the street from the building. “I’ve lived here since 2011 and I’m surprised it didn’t happen earlier because people are always in there.”
Cloutier’s sentiments were echoed by Alex Perrett and Monica Redmond’s, the tenants that live in the house directly beside the property where the historical building once stood. They said that they feel very lucky that the only damage their property received as a result of the fire is a number of smoked out windows that will need to be replaced.
"We got super lucky, a guy barged into our house and if it wasn’t for him, this house would be gone. “I’m surprised it didn’t happen sooner. I always catch kids going in and out of there,” said Perrett.
Perrett said it only took five to 10 minutes for the house to be completely engulfed in flames. He described the building as a fire waiting to happen, stating that it was made almost completely out of wood and falling apart, describing a large hole in the middle of the building that could be seen from his window where the roof had caved in.
“I had my hose spraying the side of my house,” said Perrett “The Fire department and RCMP were amazing though, they were on it right away.”
According to multiple reports no one was harmed in the fire and there is an ongoing investigation into the blaze being conducted by the Fire Department and the RCMP.
Northern News Services has reached out to the City of Yellowknife and the territorial government for more information. This story is ongoing and will be updated throughout the day.
Feature photo courtesy of Joel Dragon Smith.