Nickel Belt News
Volume 58 Number 11
Friday, March 16, 2018
Thompson, Manitoba
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Volume 62 • Issue 42
Four children killed in Oct. 26 house fire
Book a way to preserve and pass on memories of growing up in Churchill
A shrine of stuffed animals and flowers outside a home that caught fire on Oct. 26, killing four children who were trapped on the second floor
The rear of a Thompson duplex where an Oct. 26 fire claimed the lives of four children aged 10 and under.
happened,” Shirley Rob- firefighters arrived on same ages as the victims, Oct. 27. home did not have any inson, a Pimicikamak Cree the scene to find one side told the Canadian Press “I would like to ask the working smoke detectors A Thompson family is Nation councillor who of the side-by-side duplex that the news made her House to keep the family at the time the fire broke grieving the loss of four is acting as the family’s fully engulfed in flames. sick to her stomach. and the community in out. young children after an spokesperson, told the The cause of the fire has “So many people are go- their thoughts and praySettee said at the vigil Oct. 26 house fire. Winnipeg Free Press. “It’s yet to be determined. ing to be affected by this,” ers in the coming days,” that what the family went Four siblings, ranging in affecting two (First) Na“I offer my sincere con- she said. Redhead said. MLAs then through was a living age from four to 10 years tions, which is Cross Lake dolences to the family, Manitoba Keewatinowi observed a moment of si- nightmare. old, were trapped on the and Split Lake.” the community, and to Okimakanak, an advo- lence in remembrance of “We will do our utmost Nickel Belt Ian family Graham second floor of the Queen’s Shelley Thomas, the everyone who is grieving cacy organization that the four children. to News makephoto surebythe Bay duplex as it burned, Addictions Foundation of Manitoba northern director Gisele deMeulles a book about her experiences growing up,Amostly in Churchill. mother of the children today,” has saidwritten Manitoba represents 26 Northern GoFundMe campaign is supported, and that the while their 13-year-old who escaped the fire, RCMP commanding of- Manitoba First Nations, to support the family has questions they’re asking BY IANtheir GRAHAM all the harsh weather write things that you have ‘Oh, justCommissioner as bad, right?’ was not a its very safe thing swallow when peopleassay sister, mother and to raised about $5,700 of areFor was released from hospificerI’m Asst. expressed condolences answered.” EDITOR@THOMPSONCITIZEN.NET I have all these stories and to fi gure out. It’s pretty clear to do but I jumped at it. I that Churchill residents and the of polar another adult got out of tal on Thursday, according Rob Hill. “This is a heart- to everyone affected by noon Oct. 28. Smook,dangers who was celenow written I get through.” need to tragedy capture them for thought that was exciting should just findprayer somewhere said if it theThough home she’s and were treat- when to Robinson, who is her Ibreaking that will the tragedy. A flashlight vigil bears, bratingdeMeulles getting re-elected a about her experien- cousin. DeMeulles said she wrote my really the loss planeof landed and easier to live. been viable she would edbook for non-life-threatening havegrandchildren a lasting impact on until “'The children in support of the family is had as about the same time ces growing up in Churchill, her book, titled Whispers in because they will be lost if they started throwing the “To say, ‘Those people have moved back Churchinjuries. Thomas is a Pimi- so many within Thompson due to such a tragedy is was held Oct. 29 that the fire wasto spotted Addictions Foundationesof cikamak the Wind: Stories the Iand don’t.” off and I realized, ‘Holy choose to live They ill a heartbeat. The 13-year-old Cree from Nation throughout the entire fuel heartbreaking,” said MKO “We’ve lostthere. four little byinRCMP, spoke at the Manitoba - Life Churchill for province.” She also has a reputation cats, probably sitting leave,’ is much quite vigil “I miss the shoreline, caped by northern jumpingdirector out of North member andinthe children’s GrandI was Chief Garrison Set- should childrenjust who had so with city councillorsI Gisele deMeulles said writa couple of reasons. as a storyteller herself. on a bomb.’” simplistic. It’s quite disremiss the rock, missCanthe a second floor window, father is a Tataskweyak A neighbour told the tee. “This tragedy will af- potential to help make a alongside her, I the ing wasn’t RCMP something “I just sortmember. of thought, Free “I had suchthat a varied Another that spectful. If we were in the polar even though Manitoba saidshe in Cree Nation Press her hisson fect people inthing Thompson difference in our society. adian bears Press reported. always sherelease. would you knowJoy what, this hisI would people wasFirst the same boat in another area they’re and on Oct.thought 27 press Helen Keeper, 10, tory was and outside andtell saw the spurred but alsoher in on MKO Unfortunately, God took “We very weredangerous just elected do. tory, this stuff that’s in my hard times facing Churchill I think we would scream I really miss the Hudson stories and they would go, The two adults were in Leon Keeper Jr., 9, Big fire. She went out briefly Nations, as the family them home,” Robinson the night of this horrific my youth it’s going7,towho be gone notwent true, back is it?’inside I’d go, since thetoHudson Rail- about so time, why don’t they Bay,” she says. “WhentoI go the“Inbasement andI never came head, Bear Keeper, was ‘That’s and then has ties two of Bay our comsaid atthat that accordincident. It is going be felt goodwhen at writing,” she if I don’tto write it down,” she They’d go, way to doPress. that? back standing onday the suspended operations upstairs they heard going celebrate his ‘Yeah to callit’s the true.’ fire department. munities. I stand with all have ing tothe theoption Canadian what home, reminds us every said. “But I moved didn’t do all did north kids are go- ‘You Gillam last spring. I“Ithink now Bay looking out on the fire but when were unable to said. eighth“My birthday on not ThursShe described thethat, smoke those of who are mourning.” thankright you all forthey’re being Hudson of our next four years of to Thompson to get into ing to get it if I don’t do it you? You’ve got to be really “It used to be a really feeling like they’re pawns the bay, it just gives you an go up to the second floor day, and Rowan Thomas, as making it difficult to MKO said its mobile here. There’s so much love why we have to make the school work, it’s something I’vewho al- old.’ I was like, ‘No, actually thriving large community a political You feel so because of of thesocial flames and and 4, were the children breathe. crisis response team would in coming fromgame here,and allthat’s over incredible this town sense. work together,” at that point I had to write ways my told momthe to I did that before I was and it’s just dwindled down really sad for them because and you feel great.” smoke. died, wanted Robinson TheallThompson Profesbe supporting affected Manitoba, Canada andI small Smook said. forThe university and realized, mom’s an elder and 27,’ andFirefighters they went ‘What?’” such a small population the people of ChurchNow that she’s got four children were do. FreeMy Press. sional Asso- to community members and think internationally.” A vigil remembering ‘Holy, I’m from not bad this, she’s an artist,RCMP she’s got so ciation deMeulles says. out ill RCMP book under her belt, Looking back, of now,” really want to thrive. removed theathome Thompson were said in asome social that it has also reached Sgt. Paul Man- one the children was also held right?’ I certainly developed stories beshe’s there They’ve built worlds deMeulles saysatshe try once firefighters got the many in thewonderful neighbourhood on those mediaexperiences post that are its things mem- to Though the school thenot children aigre told thetheir Canadian in Winnipeg themay same a lot of skill in university cause she always tells her she might not do again. any longer, her parents and there. How would we feel to produce another. blaze under control and an unrelated call around bers’ thoughts and pray- attended to see how they Press that, although the time. and out of there with stories at Parks Canada in ers“Iwent did some pretty bizarre and otherthe family someone came to you and “I have book in takencame to Thompson Genercan sister help support sib- if 8:40 p.m. when they out to family and her cause of the fire wasn’t This is another the first fatal a strong in my Churchill andfurther I’ve always likeof fuel into the members said, ‘I’m it sorry, havedeto fire me,” in sheThompson says. “It’s a darker still are. al very Hospital forskill treatment, lings’ classmates. heard noise down stuff friends thehauls children. known, hasyou been since writing and confi in hounded just high Arctic atMayor -35,” Colsaid “My cousin MLA owns Eric the leave your home more about but all four died dence of their the street her, and ‘Please, saw smoke. Thompson Thompson termined that itcommunity was not astory, January 2020personblaze my writing. I write very put it on tape, I will write it deMeulles. “It didn’t dawn hardware store there,” she and we’re going to displace al growth and injuries. that claimed thestruggles. life of a They and Thompson Fire leen Smook, who has Redhead addressed the “criminal in nature.” clear anddevastating that’s it. It’s there. you because your story on me until after.around That was andthe all Maybe in the next five years “It’s what for 20-year-old woman. & Emergency Services grandchildren thea says. fire in the legislature on you Hesomewhere also saidelse that BY IAN GRAHAM
EDITOR@THOMPSONCITIZEN.NET
Some people say it’s kind of blunt or direct. I don’t tend
is going to be lost,’ and she’s never done it and I thought,
very dangerous thing to do. Being on a plane full of fuel
Because of that, deMeulles finds it hard to
your loved ones and your history is gone?’”
it’s something I’ll focus on doing.”