Waterhen Lake First Nation has lost the Waweyekisik Educational Centre to a fire, reports CBC. The fire reportedly started on the industrial arts classroom roof; the Meadow Lake fire department and other crews from nearby communities were unable to control the fire because of its location. All students and staff were safely evacuated from the building, but the centre was deemed a total loss. Waterhen Lake First Nation Chief Blaine Fiddler called the loss of the school “preventable,” saying that Waterhen leadership has been lobbying “for decades” for the necessary resources to replace or upgrade the building in order to meet contemporary safety standards. Fire Chief Joe Grela estimated that the damages from the school fire will be in the millions of dollars.
