Police investigate dumpster fire at Yellowknife's Northern United Place

Yellowknife RCMP are investigating after what appears to be a human-caused fire at the Northern United Place building on 54 Street.

According to a press release from the City of Yellowknife, firefighters responded to the fire at about 2:24 p.m. Tuesday.

The fire was contained to a dumpster in the building's basement, according to the release, and nobody was injured.

The building is home to a church and several social housing units, including several units set aside for seniors. It's also home to Aurora College's Yellowknife campus, including student housing. According to the release, the building was "partially evacuated" as the fire department extinguished the fire.

In an email Thursday, the manager of Northern United Place said that the majority of residents impacted were senior residents.

A news release from Yellowknife RCMP says that the cause of the fire has not yet been established, but that "early investigation indicates the fire may have been human caused."

Yellowknife fire Chief John Fredericks told local news outlet Cabin Radio on Tuesday that the fire appears to have been caused by someone setting a garbage bag on fire and putting it down a garbage chute.

Police will investigate the incident with the assistance of the territory's Office of the Fire Marshal, according to their release.

In the release, Staff Sgt. Yannick Hamel says that police have "identified and interviewed a person of interest," but that no charges have been laid yet.

Anyone with information on the fire is asked to call Yellowknife RCMP at (867) 669-1111, or through Crime Stoppers.