House fire displaces family of 6 in remote First Nation in northwestern Ontario

A house fire in a remote First Nation in northwestern Ontario has displaced a family of six.

Nishnawbe Aski Police Service (NAPS) received a call for service regarding the structural fire in Nibinamik First Nation, also known as Summer Beaver, just before 6 a.m. on Saturday.

Police officers and firefighters responded to the blaze on Lakeshore Drive.

"When first responders arrived, they observed a shed to be fully engulfed in flames. The fire spread to a nearby home on the same property. Both the shed and home were significantly damaged," said NAPS spokesperson Scott Paradis in an email to CBC News on Tuesday.

No injuries have been reported. While the estimated damages have not been confirmed, the property and its contents have been destroyed. An investigation remains ongoing, Paradis said.

Nibinamik First Nation is a remote Oji-Cree community about 500 kilometres north of Thunder Bay. Just over 100 people live there.

Sheldon Oskineegish, a member of the community, said volunteers scrambled to put out the blaze with the limited tools at their disposal. He said the house that was destroyed was a two-bedroom log cabin, which housed six people.

"They had lost everything in that house fire," Oskineegish said in an interview with CBC News. "I'm just doing my part to try to assist the family in terms of trying to help them get back up on their feet."

According to Oskineegish, the band office has provided the family with temporary accommodation in the community. CBC News has reached out to Nibinamik's chief and is awaiting a response.

Calls for better fire services, housing infrastructure

Oskineegish said most people in the community, including himself, live in log homes. These spaces are often small and overcrowded, making them more susceptible to house fires.

He'd like to see more funding to improve fire services in Nibinamik, including equipment and training for community members, as well as upgraded housing that is more resistant to fires.

"Especially our young people, young adults, they need their own space. We're living in 2024 and we're still living in the log homes," Oskineegish said.

The living conditions also have a negative impact on people's mental health, he added.

There have been a number of significant structural fires in First Nations across northern Ontario this year, including:

• Jan. 25: An intentionally set fire that destroyed the only school in Eabametoong First Nation.
• Feb. 1: A fatal house fire in Peawanuck where two people died and three were sent to hospital.
• March 2: A fire that razed the only nursing station in Cat Lake First Nation.
• April 4: A fire that destroyed the band office and an abandoned home in North Spirit Lake First Nation.

People in First Nations are 10 times more likely to die in a fire than people from other communities in Canada, according to the Indigenous Fire Marshal Service.

Oskineegish said he is collecting monetary donations and clothing for the family that lost their home in Nibinamik.

Federal government responds to blaze

A spokesperson for Indigenous Services Canada (ISC) provided an emailed statement to CBC News on Saturday in response to questions about fire services in Nibinamik.

"ISC supports the operation and maintenance of a fire hall and a fire truck at Nibinamik First Nation, with annual funding of approximately $140,000. More recently, ISC supported the purchase of a new fire truck for the community. ISC also works closely with Matawa First Nations Management and provides $180,000 annually to support fire protection services for their member nations, which includes Nibinamik," wroteRandy Legault-Rankin.

As for housing standards,Legault-Rankinsaid all federally-funded homes in First Nations must meet the national building code, which includes rules around fire safety and protection.

"In addition to Nibinamik's annual core allocation of $163,000, $3.1 million has gone towards the construction of five new homes, build capacity, addressing the housing needs for children, the preparation of lots for future construction," he said.

A total of $6.5 million has been provided in Ontario First Nations for fire prevention and protection, and $1 million for Nishnawbe Aski Nation'sAmber's Fire Safety Campaign, he added.

"ISC has worked with partners, including the Ontario Native Firefighters Society, to provide funding for all First Nations in Ontario, based on two smoke alarms per household,"Legault-Rankinsaid.

He also pointed to theFirst Nations Fire Protection Strategy, developed alongside the Assembly of First Nations.

"While there is more to be done, we will continue to follow the lead of First Nations to find long-term solutions for fire protection and safety."