PIKANGIKUM FIRST NATION — Last week's fatal house fire has claimed three lives, community leadership has confirmed.
A statement was issued on Monday, confirming that the two people who remain unaccounted for following the Feb. 22 fire have died.
Pikangikum leaders said provincial police confirmed on Saturday that three bodies were recovered from the scene.
"How many more house fires do we have to go through before the government gets serious? The impacts of these losses are long lasting and triggering for the community,” said Chief Shirley Lynne Keeper.
Last week, Keeper said the community's fire trucks were frozen, limiting the ability to fight the fire.
Kiiwetinoong MPP Sol Mamakwa raised the issue in Queen's Park on Monday, asking the government what it's doing to help Pikangikum.
"One community member told me that they are reliving a nightmare. I was there on Saturday. The house was still smouldering after three days, because they do not have the capacity to put the fire out," Mamakwa said. "This government needs to commit to a fire hall for Pikangikum so this does not happen again."
Mamakwa said an eight-year-old was among those who lost their lives.
Greg Rickford, the province's minister of northern development and Indigenous affairs, said the ministry is in regular contact with the community to assist, which has included approval for surge funding.
"We will continue to work with cooperatively with the federal government. I have suggested in certain instances if there is an existing fire hall, we would be prepared to support that, but we can't do this in every single community without the full cooperation of the federal government," Rickford said.
"I think we acknowledge today that fire response, the capacity on reserve, is something that remains a challenge for the federal government and the provincial government will continue to work with our federal partners and at the community level to ensure that there is no red tape and that we have an ability to support fire response in these communities to prevent these tragedies."
Federal Indigenous Services Minister Patty Hajdu addressed the situation on Twitter, calling it "heartbreaking for the entire community."
"My office has been in touch with Chief Keeper, and ISC officials are working directly with all partners in the region including the Independent First Nations Alliance to ensure Pikangikum has the immediate resources and supports they need," Hajdu tweeted.
