Fire destroys Nunavut government office building in Igloolik

This small office building in Igloolik, which housed income support workers, probation officers and a government liaison officer, is “a total loss” because of a fire that broke out early Oct. 24 (PHOTO COURTESY OF CELESTINO UYARAK)

A fire has destroyed a single-storey office building in the centre of Igloolik that was used by the Government of Nunavut.

The fire started in the early morning of Oct. 24, said the hamlet’s assistant senior administrative officer, Celestino Uyarak.

The GN building, known as the Inulirivik Building, or the “income support office,” was shared by income support workers, probation officers, and a government liaison officer who was moving in, Uyarak said.

Nobody was inside the building when the fire broke out, Uyarak said.

“We’re not sure what caused it yet. It’s under investigation by RCMP and [the] local fire department,” he said.

As of 9:45 a.m. Oct. 24, Uyarak said the fire was still burning.

“I received a call around 6:15 a.m. this morning and I noticed a siren going off and there it was. But it appears to be large smoke, it was dark,” Uyarak said.

A “handful” of firefighters are at the site, he said, while municipal water trucks were helping fight the fire.

“I noticed there was an excavator there, so I’m assuming that if it doesn’t go down, it will be taken down,” Uyarak said.

“It is damaged. I’m told that it’s a total loss. All the files, all the stuff in there, it’s a total loss,” Uyarak said.

The building is located in the centre of town, close to the arena and the health centre.

The acting mayor in Igloolik told Uyarak and the head nurse that the health centre will be open for emergencies only because of the smoke in the area.