Abandoned building demolished in Inuvik after Saturday fire

Police are investigating a building fire in Inuvik, N.W.T., over the weekend.

The Inuvik Fire Department sent 19 personnel to respond to reports of a fire on Kugmallit Road at 7:53 p.m. on Saturday, according to a news release from the town's fire chief.

Firefighters arrived at an abandoned two-storey, multi-unit housing complex on fire. Smoke and flame were visible in multiple areas on both floors of the building.

It took about two hours for the fire to be declared under control, just after 10 p.m., according to the news release.

Inuvik RCMP evacuated citizens from the buildings immediately next to the structure and downwind of the smoke, or had people remain in place with their windows closed.

There were no injuries to first responders, states the release.A bystander who was downwind from heavy smoke at the beginning of the fire was taken to hospital and later released.

The structural integrity of the building was compromised and there was a significant potential for it to collapse,according to the preliminary investigation, statesthe release.

The town said this is because some of the structural supports in multiple areas of the building were "severely" damaged by fire.

The roof was also compromised and there was a significant amount of water used inside the building to add more weight and pressure to the previously weakened pilings, exterior walls, floor areas and staircases, according to the town.

The building was taken down in a controlled demolition at 11:30 p.m.and was completed just after midnight. The town says it would have created a hazard for it to stay standing.

The town said it will work with contractors to remove the remaining debris.An investigation is ongoing, states the news release.

WATCH | Footage of the fire taken by a bystander

Building on Kugmallit Road catches fire on Saturday

4 years ago

Duration 0:28

Police are investigating a building fire in Inuvik on Saturday night. Firefighters arrived at an abandoned two-story, multi unit housing complex on fire on Kugmallit Road. Submitted by Mason Dillon.

Not the first fire

There have been several fires at the cluster of buildings known as the row houses on Kugmallit Road and Inuit Road which run parallel to each other. Those include four fires in 2013, four in 2014 and one in April 2017. All the prior fires appeared to be the result of arson, despite the buildings being secured and boarded up to prevent them.

A seven-unit townhouse and a four-unit row house on Inuit Road have been vacant since 2011 and not damaged by the fire on Saturday, while two eight-unit row houses on Kugmallit Road were shut down by the fire marshal in 2012. All the buildings have been without electrical services.

The houses are monitored by the Town of Inuvik, but as of 2017, was owned by a company connected to Talal Khatib, an Inuvik resident who faced drug trafficking and bootlegging charges.