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Advocates want firefighting issues on First Nations addressed

Jan. 22, 2014, Pelican Narrows, Sask. – Saskatchewan's children's advocate says issues around a lack of firefighting ability in a northern Saskatchewan aboriginal community must be addressed after a deadly house fire.

Two boys, age nine and 10, were killed and a 10-year-old girl was seriously burned in the fire in a home in Pelican Narrows on Saturday.

Resident Larry Custer, who helped save the girl, said there were no firefighting volunteers to help and the chief of the reserve has said that equipment in the community is dated.

Children's Advocate Bob Pringle says children should be safe in their homes and whatever issues exist around a lack of resources need to be addressed.

Pringle says it's his understanding the fire may have been started accidentally by the children and fire safety education may need to be looked at as well.