A fire that began at an Edzo six-plex on Friday morning was still burning well into the evening, witnesses said, destroying multiple units in the process.
“Let’s say prayers for the families devastated by the fire in Edzo,” Chief of Behchokǫ̀ Bertha Rabesca Zoe said in a statement late on Friday.
“We will come together when the time comes to help them out. Our fire fighters and others are working to put out the fire right now.”
The fire began shortly before 10am. Video showed emergency responders entering a door past billowing smoke about half an hour later as the building burned near the intersection of Edzo Tili and Kwantindee Bino Tili.
By Friday afternoon, police said two units had been affected and a heater placed under the building was suspected of being the fire’s cause. At the time, RCMP said firefighters had brought the fire under control.
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However, as night fell, the fire continued to burn and worried residents of the remaining units shared photos online that showed the flames spreading.
So far, nobody is reported to have been hurt. Police said some pets had to be rescued from the property earlier in the day.
Two units had sustained “significant damage” by Friday afternoon, police said at the time. Other units had already received smoke damage at that point. More units are understood to have burned as the fire progressed later in the day.
In their statement, RCMP said arson was not suspected.
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“Initial reports indicate that a heater placed underneath the building could have caused the fire,” police stated.
Edzo forms part of the larger community of Behchokǫ̀, which as a whole has around 2,000 residents. There are roughly 100 homes in Edzo.
Jasmine Nasogaluak contributed reporting.
