Pikangikum First Nation fire prompts outrage for lack of resources
On March 29, 2016, the remote First Nation community of Pikangikum in northwestern Ontario suffered its own tragedy. Nine people — three of them children — perished in a house fire.
Pikangikum is a remote community located 500 kilometres northwest of Thunder Bay and is only accessible by air.
"Our communities are overwhelmed with suicide at an epidemic level, a NAN-wide health crisis and several states of emergency. These fire-related fatalities are stretching their limited resources to the breaking point," said Grand Chief Alvin Fiddler.
In 2014, The Current looked at a federal report that found people were 10 times more likely to die in a fire on a reserve than in a city. And in January of that year, two young boys, Solomon and Josiah Ballantyne were killed in a house fire on the Peter Ballantyne Cree Nation.
Sheila North Wilson is devastated and outraged by the latest fire to hit a northern first nation. She's the Grand Chief of Northern Manitoba First Nations.
This segment was produced by The Current's Liz Hoath.