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No one hurt after fire guts home on Ingraham Trail

YKFD Crest
YKFD Crest

No one was hurt after a fire gutted an Ingraham Trail home earlier this week, the territory’s fire marshal says.

The blaze ripped through the residence, located at kilometre 36 on the Ingraham Trail, on Wednesday, said NWT fire marshal Chucker Dewar.

Eyewitness accounts and photos indicate a power house (generator shed) located on the property, caught fire before quickly spreading to the nearby residence.

Both the home and the power house burned to the ground.

Dewar said the homeowner lived in the residence year round, said Dewar.

Due to the extensive damage caused by the blaze, Dewar said investigators likely won’t be able to determine what, specifically, caused the fire. Given the time of year, Dewar said there was little risk of the fire spreading throughout the surrounding wildland.

Wednesday’s blaze is the latest in a string of power house fires investigated by the fire marshal over the past year. It’s prompting the NWT Office of the Fire Marshal to remind residents to be cautious when operating generators in power houses.

Here’s some tips from the fire marshal:

  • Make sure there’s adequate space between the shed and your residence. In the event of a power house fire, a 10-metre distance between the two structures will decrease the likelihood of it spreading to your home.
  • Consider using noncombustible construction materials to house your generator in.
  • Maintain generator fuel lines. Check for leaks or anything else that could pose risks.
  • Store fuel containers a safe distance from heating sources.
  • Lock up your power house to prevent unauthorized entry.

The territory’s fire marshal is continuing to probe Wednesday’s blaze.

Updates to follow.