Iqaluit’s 2012 Creekside Village fire due to arson: RCMP

The Creekside Village fire that blazed out of control during the night of Feb. 27, 2012 was caused by arson, police said May 24.

The RCMP finally announced May 24 that the Feb. 26, 2012 fire that destroyed the Creekside Village apartment complex was due to arson.

The RCMP and the Office of the Fire Marshal have completed their investigation of the incident, the RCMP said.

“The cause has been determined to be arson. It has been determined that the individual responsible for starting the fire perished in the blaze,” police said in a news release. “The RCMP extends its thoughts to those who lost their treasured belongings and to the family of those who died in this fire and acknowledges the overwhelming support provided by everyone to those affected.”

Nunavut’s Chief Coroner’s office identified the remains found at Creekside Village following the deadly Feb. 26 fire.

The office released the names of the two victims March 13, 2012: 27-year-old Andrew Papatsie and 25-year-old Connie Papatsie, both residents of Iqaluit.

The victims were the adult children of Sarah Papatsie, who worked as a medical interpreter at the Qikiqtani General Hospital. She was upgrading her training at Nunavut Arctic College, which leased 21 of the 22 units destroyed in the late-night fire.

The family was reported at home together Feb. 26 when the fire broke out.

Firefighters had pinpointed the fire’s origin to rowhouse unit 307 at Creekside Village.