Fire consumes 2 Yellowknife homes in Northlands Trailer Park

A blaze that started shortly before 2 p.m. Monday afternoon has consumed two homes on Norseman Drive in Yellowknife's Northlands Trailer Park.

No injuries have yet been reported.

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A neighbour, who did not want be named, described the dramatic unfolding of events just after the fire started.

"I was in my house and we heard someone screaming fire," the neighbour said.

"I thought it was just… there's a daycare over there [nearby] and I thought it was just kids playing."

"A few people… my brother... called the fire department… they were telling us to get out."

When CBC arrived on the scene shortly after 2 p.m., firefighters were fighting a blaze that already appeared to have completely engulfed one home and leapt to a neighbouring home, separated by a narrow strip of property.

Firefighters immediately worked toward the downwind side of one of the two homes — now completely on fire — and began to douse the structure with water, in an apparent attempt to prevent the fire from spreading to a third home downwind of the growing blaze.

As what sounded like propane bottles exploded and flames punched through windows on the downwind home, fire crews were able to prevent the fire from spreading to a third home, even as flames almost reached across.

By 3:30 p.m., the fire appeared to be completely under control, with only smoldering structural remains and spot fires.

Major damage appeared to be contained to the two homes, although smoke damage may have been considerable in nearby units as neighbouring residents reported running out of their homes and leaving windows open.

There has been no official word on the cause of the fire.