Early morning fire destroys grocery and retail store in Igloolik, Nunavut
by The Canadian Press
Last Updated Jan 20, 2021 at 10:58 am EDT
Firefighters battle a fire engulfing the Arctic Co-op grocery and retail store in Igloolik, Nunavut on Wednesday, Jan. 20, 2021. THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO-Qaatani Sarpinak Mandatory Credit
A fire has destroyed a grocery and retail store in Igloolik, Nunavut.
Photos on social media from the community of about 1,600 show orange flames and black smoke bursting from the Artic Co-op store.
Qaatani Sarpinak, who lives in Igloolik, says the fire started after 4 a.m. and he saw ammunition exploding and vapour coming from propane tanks inside the store.
Emma Tranter
Firefighters battle a fire engulfing the Arctic Co-op grocery and retail store in Igloolik, Nunavut on Wednesday, Jan. 20, 2021. THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO-Qaatani Sarpinak Mandatory Credit January 20, 2021 - 10:26 AM
A Nunavut community was under a state of emergency Wednesday after a fire destroyed one of its grocery and retail stores.
Photos on social media from Igloolik, a community of about 1,600, showed orange flames and black smoke bursting from the Arctic Co-op store.
Another photo showed the store s structure slumped on the ground.
In a statement, Igloolik Mayor Merlyn Recinos assured the community it would not run out of food. He said the town s only other grocery store, the Northern Store, would bring in extra product.