Fire leaves northwestern Ont. First Nation community without healthcare hub
CTV
A remote northwestern First Nation community has lost its central access point to healthcare services after its only nursing station was destroyed in a fire Saturday night.
A remote northwestern First Nation community has lost its central access point to healthcare services after its only nursing station was destroyed in a fire Saturday night.
“Police are investigating the circumstances surrounding a fire at the nursing station in Cat Lake First Nation,” said the Nishnawbe Aski Police Service (NAPS) in a news release Sunday.
NAPS officers received a call for service regarding a structural fire at the Margaret Gray Nursing Station just before 9:30 p.m. on March 2.
"When officers arrived, they observed smoke and visible flames coming from the community's nursing station. Officers remained at the scene and assisted community members attempting to extinguish the fire," police said.
"At 11:46 p.m., it was deemed too dangerous to continue fire suppression efforts. The building appears to be a total loss, however, no injuries were reported as a result of the fire."
Cat Lake is an Ojibway First Nation community located approximately 440 kilometres northwest of Thunder Bay along the Albany River – the fire leaves the community's about 650 residents without access to their primary healthcare hub.
