House Fire Update: 9 Human Remains Found

(PIKANGIKUM, ON) – On Tuesday, March 29, 2016 at approximately 11:44 pm, officers from the Pikangikum Police Service, the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP), and the Pikangikum Fire Department responded to a residential fire located on Dunsford Road on Pikangikum First Nation.

Today (01April), nine human remains have been located within the residence. The remains are going to be transported to the Office of the Chief Coroner and Forensic Pathology Services in Toronto, where post mortems will be conducted.

At present, the OPP North West Region Crime Unit, the OPP Criminal Investigation Branch (CIB), Forensic Identification Services Unit (FISU), Critical Incident Stress Response Officers, and Provincial Liaison Team Officers are at the scene.

The Regional Supervising Coroner and Deputy Chief Coroner previously attended the scene to provide assistance. As well a Forensic Anthropologist from the Ontario Forensic Pathology Service is currently on scene working cooperatively with several members of the Ontario Fire Marshall’s office and the OPP Forensic Identification Services Unit.

The scene examination is continuing and expected to be completed by the end of the weekend or early next week.

The ongoing investigation into the cause of the fire, which remains undetermined, is being conducted under the Coroner’s Act and police are assisting the Coroner with the investigation.

Further information will be provided as it becomes available.

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