1 dead, 1 hurt in fire on remote Ont. island

Two Ontario Provincial Police Eurocopter EC 135 P2+ helicopters in flight. (File photo/Supplied/Ontario Provincial Police | Image Credit: John Carpino)

One person has died and another has been seriously injured following a structural fire on an island in a remote lake accessible only by portage on Sunday.

Ontario Provincial Police say the fire occurred on an island located on Little Gabodin Lake, southwest of Greater Sudbury, Ont., which is accessible by portage from Panache Lake.

Emergency response

Officers from the Nipissing West OPP Detachment responded to the report of the fire at about 12:30 a.m. on May 17.

“Due to the remote location, specialized resources were deployed to access the scene and assist with the extraction efforts,” said OPP in a news release Sunday.

The specialized resources deployed included the OPP North East Region Emergency Response Team, OPP Aviation Services and the Joint Rescue Coordination Centre.

Loss of life

One of the individuals involved in the fire did not survive.

“As a result of the incident, a 26-year-old person from Sudbury was pronounced deceased at the scene,” said police.

A second individual, a 27-year-old also from Sudbury, sustained serious but non-life-threatening injuries and was transported to an area hospital for treatment.

Investigation ongoing

OPP said the investigation into the incident remains ongoing with assistance from the Ontario Office of the Fire Marshal.

Provincial police have not released the names of the injured parties, the cause of the blaze or stated if any charges are being considered.

“Further updates will be provided as information becomes available,” said OPP.

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