City officials reported that a fire broke out at an encampment in the city of Yellowknife late this morning. Fortunately, no one was injured and the fire was quickly extinguished by the fire department.
“At approximately 11:54 a.m. today, the Yellowknife Fire Division (YKFD) responded to a fire at an urban encampment located beside the Prince of Wales Northern Heritage Centre.”
Fire officials responded to the fire which was safely contained.
“YKFD arrived to find an active fire involving a tent of approximately 25 feet by 25 feet in size. The fire was quickly contained and extinguished. No injuries were reported. Municipal Enforcement attended the scene for traffic control.”
Officials believe the cause of the fire was connected to the use of heating devices.
“The cause of the fire has been determined to be accidental. Several heating sources were located in the immediate area.”
Officials are asking city residents to exercise caution when using heating devices.
“As we enter the winter season, a reminder to all residents that portable heating devices should always be monitored when in use to ensure fire safety. Statistics from the National Fire Protection Association indicate that space heaters cause up to 43% of home heating fires.”
