SANDY LAKE — Nishnawbe Aski police have confirmed one person is dead following a house fire in Sandy Lake First Nation.
Nine people were able to escape. Police said no further information about the deceased was available.
In a media release issued on Friday, the Indigenous police force, which serves 34 First Nations across northern Ontario, said officers were called to the fire on Thursday just after 3:30 p.m.
When police arrived, the home was "engulfed" in flames, according to the release, and community firefighters were battling the blaze.
Police discovered the body in the home shortly after 4:15 p.m., NAPS said, adding that the nine survivors were treated at the community's nursing station for injuries consistent with smoke inhalation.
The scene was held, police said, adding that the NAPS northwest crime unit, the OPP's forensic identification unit, the Office of the Chief Coroner and the Ontario Fire Marshal's office are all involved with the investigation.
This story was updated to include additional information from the Nishnawbe Aski Police Service.
