30 left homeless after apartment complex fire in Shoal Lake No. 40

Thirty people, including children, in a First Nations community are without a home following a fire early Saturday morning.

A six-unit apartment complex on Shoal Lake No. 40 went up in flames shortly after 5 a.m., and the building has been completely destroyed. Shoal Lake No. 40 straddles the southern Manitoba-Ontario border, and the complex was on the Ontario side.

Chief Kevin Redsky says he received a call from the community's mobile crisis response team around 5:30 a.m. that the complex was ablaze.

"It was sad to see some of the family members outside helplessly watching the structure go down. They've lost everything, their lifelong belongings," he said Sunday morning.

The crisis team is new, having only been implemented in December in an effort to promote health and safety within the First Nation, as well as hold patrols.

Patrol members on Saturday saw smoke and a bright light in the distance, and hurried over to the apartment complex on the Ontario side of the reserve to wake everyone up, and get them out safely, according to Redsky.

"They're to be commended for their actions. They did what they did and they acted in an orderly and fast fashion," he said.

He believes the efforts of fire crews also helped save a nearby triplex that houses the community's three teachers.

Two people were treated for smoke inhalation, and one suffered minor burns on their hand, the chief said.

Redsky and council members, as well as the Kenora Chiefs Advisory, have helped many of the displaced community members find hotels for temporary lodging in Winnipeg.

Redsky is looking for a short-term solution before potentially rebuilding the complex.

"We're going to have to determine what opportunities are out there. Ideally, we would replace the homes — preferably detached," he said.

The building was built in 2018 to assist with a housing shortage on Shoal Lake No. 40. It was valued at $1.5 million, and is "a huge loss" for the community, the release said.

The cause of the fire is unknown, but arson is not suspected, according to a community news release.

The investigation is continuing. In the meantime, two GoFundMe pages have been launched in an effort to assist its displaced community members.

As of 11:45 a.m. Sunday, more than $20,000 had been donated through the relief pages.

"The GoFundMe really helps the generosity from our neighbouring communities and organizations. We're going to be planning this week to buy everything lost, and we're starting as early as last night to take the family shopping," Redsky said.

He says the immediate needs include clothing, diapers, formula and food for the families.