Band office, home destroyed in North Spirit Lake in latest fires in First Nations in northwestern Ontario

Sarah Law · CBC News

· Posted: Apr 05, 2024 4:13 PM EDT | Last Updated: 5 hours ago

Police are investigating fires that destroyed the band office and an abandoned home in North Spirit Lake First Nation in northwestern Ontario.

The Nishnawbe Aski Police Service confirmed in a news release Friday that they first received a call for service around 3:40 a.m. ET on Thursday. 

“Police on scene observed a fire from the community’s band office. At this time, police also learned of another structural fire in the community. Police arrived on scene to an abandoned home completely engulfed in flames on Airport Road,” said the release.

“Both buildings are a total loss,” it said, adding that no injuries were reported.

North Spirit Lake First Nation is roughly 175 kilometres north of Red Lake. About 400 people live in the remote Oji-Cree community, which is part of Treaty 5.

Members of the Nishnawbe Aski police’s crime unit are involved in the investigation.

Kiiwetinoong MPP Sol Mamakwa shared a post on social media about the band office fire on Thursday.

“This is a huge loss for the community as most of the programs are administered from the building,” Mamakwa wrote.

There have been other significant fire incidents affecting First Nations in the region this year.

They include:

• March 2: A fire razed the only nursing station in Cat Lake First Nation.
• Feb. 1: A fatal house fire in Peawanuck during which two people died and three were sent to hospital.
• Jan. 25: An intentionally set fire that destroyed the only school in Eabametoong First Nation.

CBC News has reached out to federal Minister of Indigenous Services Patty Hajdu and provincial Minister of Indigenous Affairs Greg Rickford for comment. This story will be updated once responses are received.