Boiler issue sends smoke over Iqaluit’s Astro Hill

Smoke that billowed from a boiler room next to the Canada Post office at Astro Hill in Iqaluit around 6 a.m. Friday prompted concern from residents on Facebook, but officials say there was no fire.

The smoke cleared by 7 a.m., and operations in the area continue as normal.

“Since there was no fire, there was nothing for us to extinguish — this was simply an issue with their boiler system,” city spokesperson Geoffrey Byrne said in an email.

There was an earlier, similar smoke incident related to the boiler room Thursday afternoon, Byrne added.

Dhivaan Thanabalasingam, a facilities manager at Astro Hill for property owner Nunastar Properties, also confirmed the incident posed no safety risk.

“It was simply a regular part failure, which is a common occurrence in all boilers,” he said in an email.

“Our system is larger, which may lead to more smoke during such occurrences, but again, there is no danger involved.”

Thanabalasingam said the boiler room is fully equipped with a fire suppression system and that the affected boiler has been locked out until repairs are completed. The necessary replacement part has been ordered, he said.