Fire destroys home in Norman Wells NWT

Fire Destroys House in Norman Wells, N.W.T.

A house in Norman Wells, N.W.T., was destroyed by fire over the weekend.

The local fire department responded to the blaze at about 4:30 a.m. on Saturday.

Deputy Fire Chief Drayton Walker stated that by the time firefighters arrived, the house was “not save-able.” Damage control then became the focus.

“Our priority became protecting the nearby houses and just making sure that when that house did collapse, it was taking up as little space as possible,” Walker said.

There are no reported injuries, and officials say the cause of the fire has not yet been determined.

Walker mentioned that firefighting is more difficult in extreme weather conditions, with the temperature at the time being below –40 C.

“Definitely had some challenges running the water in that cold weather,” he said.

“You’re gonna get soaked. You’re holding the hose, you’re moving around, you’re walking through snow, you’re wet and you freeze instantly.”

Norman Wells Mayor Frank Pope praised the firefighters for their efforts.

“Kudos to the fire department for getting out there in these temperatures and doing the job they did … they did one hell of a good job,” he said.

Walker also praised community members for stepping up to help.

“We have a lot of people who are ready and willing anytime there’s any emergency event. They’re gonna volunteer their time and whatever resources they can,” he said.

Officials say an investigation into the cause of the fire will begin once the property is deemed safe.

Fire Incident Summary