Poundmaker’s Lodge is closed this week after a kitchen fire filled it with smoke over the weekend.
St. Albert Fire Services got an automated alarm call at about 1:18 a.m. June 14 about a fire at the Poundmaker’s Lodge Treatment Centres main building (i.e. the lodge) on Poundmaker Road, said deputy fire chief Leigh Sawicki. On arrival, crews found that all 75 staff and clients at the centre had safely evacuated the lodge.
“The building was completely filled with smoke,” Sawicki said, but the fire itself was contained to the kitchen.
About 37 firefighters backed by three engines, a tower, and nine water tankers (some from the Edmonton fire department) quickly stamped out the blaze, Sawicki said. (The main lodge did not have the hydrant capacity for firefighting, so firefighters had to bring their own water.)
Sawicki said the lodge was not currently usable due to fire, water, and smoke damage. Investigators were still determining the cause of the fire, but did not believe it to be suspicious.
In a media release, Poundmaker’s spokesperson Carla Jamison said investigators were now assessing the damage to the lodge, with updates expected in the coming weeks. Staff have relocated lodge clients to treatment facilities throughout the region.
“Poundmaker’s Lodge is grateful to its wide network of supporters — including Indigenous Elders, community organizations, treatment partners, board members, and staff — who came together in an extraordinary show of solidarity. Their efforts have ensured continuity of care and cultural safety for clients during this difficult transition,” she said.
“This tragic incident has underscored the vital role of community collaboration and culturally grounded healing in times of crisis.”
