The cause of a fire on the Carry the Kettle Nakoda Nation in February which destroyed that community’s water treatment plant has been deemed undetermined.
“It’s kind of leaning towards an area where we had a tool box. There were power tools that were there, lithium power tools. We suspect that one of those power batteries that powered the power tools shorted out against the tool box, heated up and flamed up later,” explained Kimbal Ironstar Projects Manager for the Carry the Kettle Nakoda Nation.
Kimbal says a fire investigator was one the scene the day after the fire examining the rubble, but could not pinpoint the cause.
“He had a good view from the outside, just walking around it and looking at parts of the building that were exposed. He looked at areas where the fire showed hot spots. And after he did his investigation, it came back the fire cause was undetermined,” said Kimbal.
Immediately following the February 26 blaze the First Nation declared a state of emergency, as the approximately 225 homes did not have access to drinking water.
Several communities and First Nations donated drinking water to assist the First Nation, as it tried to establish a temporary solution.
Kimbal says currently there is potable water being delivered to reservoirs and flowing into people’s home, yet he cautions people to continue to boil their water to remove potential harmful bacteria.
Kimbal says the First Nation vows to rebuild the insured plant.
(Photo: Carry the Kettle Nakoda Nation water treatment plant engulfed in flames. Courtesy of Jay Bouchard Facebook.)