Cape Dorset school fire: 1 fire truck not enough to put it out, says official

A hamlet official inCape Dorset, Nunavut, says Sunday's fire at Peter Pitseolak High School was just too large for the community's single fire truck to handle.

The high school burned to the ground despite the efforts of 16 firefighters to fight the flames.

"It was just complete exhaustion," says CapeDorsetSenior Administrative OfficerEdDevereaux.

"It was a lot, a lot of work and a lot of dedication. I can't say enough about how they tried their best to put it out."

Water to fight the fire had to be trucked down from the community's water pointand then pumped into the truck.

Devereauxsays hamlet council will discuss gettingmore firefighting equipmentto avoid similar disasters in the future.

"That will probably be on the plate to see what they can do to try to get more equipment here, including a new fire truck," he said.

RCMP say the fire was deliberately set. Three teenagers ages 13 to 16have been charged with arson causing damage to property and arson with disregard for human life.

Nunavut'sEducation Minister Paul Quassasays the possibility that youth were involved in setting the fire concerns him.

"We cannot misuse anything within any of our schools so I'll be meeting with the parents and talking with the teachers and I think that those are the issues that we'll be talking about, too," he said.

The community's high school students will be back to classes half-days on Thursday,sharing the elementary school until a longer-term solution can be found.