Ontario First Nation says bodies of 2 adults, 1 child recovered after house fire

The chief of a remote northwestern Ontario First Nation says the bodies of two adults and a child have been recovered from a home that burned to the ground last week in the community.

One person had earlier been confirmed dead in the fire but two others had been unaccounted for.

Chief Shirley Lynne Keeper of Pikangikum First Nation says in a written statement that Wednesday’s fire has been triggering for residents of the community, which is located about 500 kilometres north of Thunder Bay, Ont.

She says the First Nation’s ability to fight structural fires has not changed since it was left devastated by a 2016 blaze that killed a family of nine, including an infant.

Keeper has said two fire trucks that could have helped douse the flames from Wednesday’s fire were frozen because the community does not have an adequate building to shelter the vehicles during extremely cold temperatures.

A spokesperson for Indigenous Services Canada says the government is working closely with the First Nation to ensure it has supports needed as the investigation of the fire continues.