Only grocery store in Whale Cove, Nunavut, burns

The only grocery store in Whale Cove, Nunavut, has burned, triggering a state of emergency and partly cutting power in the hamlet of about 500 people.

Stanley Adjuk, thehamlet's foreman, told CBCthe fire is devastating to the community.

"It's going to affect a lot of things," Adjuk said in Inuktitut. "It houses the fuel store and the post office office is located inside, and our only grocery store."

An update from the Qulliq Energy Corp. Friday afternoon said power had been restored to the community after being out since early morning but further outages may be required.

Oliver Shipton who's the town's mayor and a local firefighter says the fire started in the middle section of the Co-op building at around 3:30 a.m. When firefighters arrived minutes later and opened the building, he says "everything spontaneously combusted."

"There was no way of putting out the fire at that point," Shipton said.

Residents posted on Facebook early Friday morning showing the community's Co-opgrocery store on fire.

Mary Nirlungayuk, thevice-president of governance and member relationsat Arctic Co-operatives, said she was notified of the fire early on Friday.

"At this point we can't speculate on thefire, where it started," she said.

One store for all necessities

Nirlungayuk also noted the store is the main provider ofalmost everything in the community groceries, ammunition and fuel.

She said the Co-op is trying to get people into the community to help and is working with the airlinesto bring supplies in.

"We're working closelywith them to try to mobilize products into the community as soon as we can," she said.

Nirlungayuk also said Arctic Co-operatives are looking for a place to set up a temporary store in the community.

"That's going to be our first priority, what is it that they need?"

She said as far as she knows, Whale Cove'sCo-op is a complete loss.

Mayor Shiptonsaid the local community hall was being set up as a makeshift store, and other communities had already been in touch about donating food. The hamlet was also working to set up a system so people could still receive mail, and Shipton said Arctic Co-operatives was sending food hampers to distribute to residents.

"It's not a good feeling watching something burn that's so valuable to the community. Our store is a huge necessity," Shipton said.

He said he'dbeen receiving "phone call after phone call" all day.

"When we have a fire, people come and they help. We have a lot of great people in this community that are all offering vehicles, giving out food, cooking for other people, working at the school," Shipton said.

"These are one of those times that really show how strong the North can be."

'Heartbreaking for the community'

Nunavut's department of Family Services said on Friday that it was working on a contingency plan to ensure that income assistance payments would not be delayed in Whale Cove despite the community emergency, and that residents could still access essential services.

The department also said in a news release that the income assistance office was closed for in-person services until further notice "due to staff shortages."

"This may affect families and children who rely on these services," the release states.

John Main, the hamlet's MLA, said severalgovernment departments are also involved in responding to the emergency.

"It's a really sad and concerning situation," Main said. "Now we're moving into response mode.

"Anything that residents need, whether it's baby formula, bulletsto go out hunting,a dozen eggs to cook lunch ... How do we make sure that all those things are made available to Whale Cove residents as soon as possible?"

Main said as of Friday afternoon, the focus wason restoring power to the community. Then, essential services would be able toget in.

"Our response is going to have to come together very quick, just because there is no alternative store that residents can go to," he said.

"Whale Cove is such a strong and beautiful community ... I'm confident that we will get through this.

"People are watching the only store burn," he said. "It's absolutely heartbreaking for the community."

He said the territorial government and hamlet are also prepared to reach out to the federal government for help if needed.

He also said there are concerns around where people sent to the community to help with the response willstay, given the community's only hotel also burned last summer.