RCMP investigate fire, property damage at Gjoa Haven housing association

Broken windows are seen at the Kikitak Housing Association office in Gjoa Haven following an incident on April 12. (Photo courtesy of Nunavut RCMP)

Gjoa Haven RCMP are asking for the public’s assistance after a fire damaged property belonging to the Kikitak Housing Association earlier this week.

Officers responded to a report Sunday at approximately 7:20 a.m. that two storage sea cans used by the local housing association were on fire, police said Wednesday in a news release.

Damage was contained to the two sea cans, the release said.

Windows at the Kikitak Housing Association office building were damaged around the same time. The cause of the fire and the damage to the office are under investigation, the release said.

RCMP are asking anyone who may have witnessed the incident or has information to contact the Gjoa Haven detachment.

The vandalism and fire occurred as the hamlet was in a local state of emergency.

A prolonged power outage last week displaced several people and approximately six families were still displaced from their homes as of Wednesday, said Chantel Caza, communications manager for Nunavut Housing Corp. in an email.

Fifty public housing units sustained damage during the outage. Eight units had been repaired as of Wednesday.