Fundraising underway to help families of Pikangikum fire victims

Thousands of dollars are about to flow to the extended families who lost loved ones in a fatal house fire in a remote community of northwestern Ontario this week. 

A three-bedroom house on Pikangikum First Nation burned to the ground Tuesday night. Nine people, three children and six adults — three generations of one family according to a resident — died in the blaze.  

• Pikangikum First Nation in mourning after blaze kills 3 children, 6 adults
• Pikangikum fire highlights dire conditions faced by First Nations, grand chief says
• Deadly Pikangikum fire prompts call for inquiry from Ontario First Nations firefighters

Crystal Flamand started a Gofundme page after a friend of hers from Winnipeg asked how she could help.

Flamand said she asked one of the victim's relatives for permission before setting up the page.

"He said, "Ya, go ahead," said Flamand, "We sat there and came up with the title of Pikangikum Tragic 9."

In one day, more than $6,000 was donated by 100 people. The goal is $20,000. 

"This is going to be beneficial for the after-affect," said Flamand. "When everything is done, and everyone is gone, we can just give this money to [the families] and help them, support and get them back on their feet."

CBC News is not identifying the victims because their identities have not yet been confirmed by police. 

Flamand said the community is still in shock.

"I would have to say fazed. Everything is at a stand-still," she said. "The feeling you get out there, if I was to go driving down the road, you can just feel the pain and sorrow of the community."

Ontario Provincial Police said the cause of the fire is still under investigation.

The OPP said the Forensic Anthropologist, Forensic Identification Services Unit and investigators from the Office of the Fire Marshall remain on the scene and are expected to complete their investigation by early next week.