Overnight fire destroys Berens River First Nation’s only school; residents told to stay indoors

Berens River First Nation has ordered residents to stay indoors and closed all but its essential services as firefighters battle a blaze that engulfed the community’s only school Tuesday.

RCMP confirmed its detachment in the area — located about 270 kilometres north of Winnipeg, along the eastern shores of Lake Winnipeg — received an emergency call about a fire at about 3 a.m.

The kindergarten-to-Grade 9 school was empty at the time. No injuries have been reported.

“The fire does not appear suspicious and responders are continuing to monitor,” RCMP Cpl. Melanie Roussel said in an afternoon update.

“At this time, the building is a total loss.”

An initial investigation has concluded the fire, first spotted by a night guard, was ignited inside a crawl space, Roussel said.

Concerns about poor air quality prompted Chief Hartley Everett and councillors to put out an advisory shortly after 9 a.m.

“Please keep windows and doors closed or properly sealed to reduce exposure, as heavy smoke from the fire poses a serious health risk, particularly to elders, children, and individuals with respiratory and other health conditions,” the memo said.

The band office has also asked community members to stay home to ensure roadways are clear for emergency personnel.

Resident Trina Bouchie Gauthier described the midday scene — a smouldering pile of rubble — as “unbelievable.”

Bouchie Gauthier woke up at about 7 a.m. and saw dark clouds outside her kitchen window.

Before a relative sent her a message about the fire, she said she’d originally mistook them for strong north winds on a blustery morning.

“I was able to cry and pray this morning before (my granddaughter) Brielle woke up,” she said.

Bouchie Gauthier said she’s emotional for the kindergartener and because she has many special memories attending the school, her “home away from home,” as a child.

The five-year-old was concerned about her teacher’s safety when she woke up, the grandmother said.

“She’s a smart little girl and I talk to her like an adult… I assured her that her teacher was nowhere near the school and that everyone was safe,” she added.

Tyson MacGillivray, superintendent of the Frontier School Division, said he’s thankful no community members were injured in the fire.

MacGillivray said approximately 400 students are displaced from their classrooms.

Division administration is working with government and community leaders to support the community, he said.

“There has to be a plan set in place for (my granddaughter) and all the other students to continue their education,” Bouchie Gauthier said.

At the same time, she said she has to be optimistic about the resilience of her community. “We must be there for each other emotionally, spiritually and physically,” she said.

The community’s arena burned down in a fire just over a year ago.

“What a sad day for Berens River,” the adult learning centre, which operates on the same grounds as the K-9 school, wrote in a post on Facebook Tuesday.

The Office of the Fire Commissioner has been made aware of the situation, RCMP said.

The Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs released a statement acknowledging the devastating loss for families and school employees.

“A school is more than walls and classrooms. It is where our children feel safe, where culture and language are carried forward, and where futures begin,” Grand Chief Kyra Wilson said.

“What Berens River has lost is deeply felt across our nations.”

maggie.macintosh@freepress.mb.ca