58 fire-related deaths in Ont. Indigenous communities under investigation – CTV
February 07, 2018
Ontario’s chief coroner is setting up a panel of experts that will look at dozens of residential fires in Indigenous communities that have killed nearly 60 people in just over a decade.
Dr. Dirk Huyer says the panel — called the chief coroner’s table — will include coroners, forensic pathologists, fire investigators and members of Ontario’s Indigenous communities.
“We know there is a disproportionate number of fire deaths occurring in Indigenous communities relative to non-Indigenous communities and we really want to understand what we can about it,” Huyer said in an interview.
“This (table) is really drilling down deeply into each of the deaths … to look for systemic issues, trends or patterns.”
Huyer said 58 people died in 34 house fires in Indigenous communities between 2007 and 2016 — numbers for 2017 are not yet available.
