The RCMP are investigating a school fire that occurred on the territory of Blueberry River First Nation on January 17th. There were no casualties and no indication that the fire was suspicious, explained the RCMP, but the school was destroyed and the cause of the fire remains under investigation. Blueberry River First Nation called the fire a “tremendous loss for the community,” as the Blueberry Community School was also used for community gatherings, funerals, and cultural events. The First Nation has vowed to rebuild as soon as possible. In her comments to Town and Country Today, Blueberry River First Nation Elders Coordinator Sandra Apsassin emphasized the school’s importance as a cultural hub and asserted that she intends to speak to the school’s staff about rebuilding: “We are going to get a bigger, better building.”
