(UPDATE) ‘Tremendous loss’: Fire engulfs ‘multi-use building’ on Blueberry River First Nations Reserve

Updated, January 17th, , 5:50 p.m.: This story has been updated to include a statement from both the Fort St. John RCMP and Blueberry River First Nations.

BUICK, B.C – An early-morning fire on Blueberry River First Nations (BRFN) territory has been described as a “tremendous loss for the community.”

Fort St. John RMCP officers are investigating a fire which broke out around 6:30 a.m. on Saturday, January 17th.

A press release from BRFN leadership obtained by Energeticcity.ca says the flames engulfed a “multi-use building” which housed “everything from community gatherings and funerals to adult education” throughout its 30-year existence.

The statement says the fire “started quickly and engulfed the entire building,” and BRFN’s community fire capacity is “insufficient to fight any fire of size due to the reservoir.”

Earlier on Saturday, the Fort St. John Fire Department confirmed it did not send out units to the blaze due to “jurisdictional constraints,” and BRFN furthered the assertion, stating the department “has no agreement with the City of Fort St John for firefighting due to the distance.”

The Fort St. John RCMP said there were no casualties, and there is “no indication” the fire was suspicious.

BRFN leadership said it would not speculate on the fire’s cause, but did say there was a high-definition video “which captured the fire starting” and there will be an investigator on the ground during this week.

The statement thanked the RCMP’s response, and to all the community members who “reacted quickly to keep the fire from spreading and to save nearby assets,” but the building has been destroyed.

“We will be rebuilding as soon as possible,” reads the statement from BRFN.

Energeticcity.ca will update this story if further details become available.