Update: Fire guts Lake Nipissing ice hut and truck

Update: 10 a.m.

OPP Sergeant Carlo Berardi reports no deaths or injuries in the fire. "The fire is not suspicious and there is no criminal investigation by police," he told BayToday.

The MNR responded, " The Ministry of Northern Development, Mines, Natural Resources and Forestry (NDMNRF) is aware of this matter however we do not investigate structural fires. NDMNRF Conservation Officers will monitor this situation to ensure the site is properly cleaned up as per requirements of the Public Lands Act."

Neither the North Bay Police nor Fire Department has jurisdiction on the lake so it appears the details may never be known.

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There are no initial reported injuries after a fire razed an ice hut and a pickup truck parked next to it Sunday evening.

The fire took place just before 6 p.m.

The hut was located down the lakefront of Premier Road in the Ferris section of North Bay. A witness estimates the hut was about 1.5 km offshore.

It's not unusual for ice huts to contain wood stoves, however, no cause has been confirmed.

No other details are available, but BayToday has called in to numerous authorities, and will update with further information when it is provided. The North Bay OPP have confirmed it is in its jurisdiction.

The MNR also confirms it is investigating.

A witness who arrived after the fire started says there was a tow line between the truck and the ice hut so he believes the shed was being towed at the time. He also heard a small explosion.

He also told BayToday that he believe the fire started in the truck, as the front tires were burned off but not the rears.

He added that although there were a number of people on snowmobiles nearby trying to help the heat was too intense. He says there was no sign of anyone that appeared to own the vehicle, but also did not see anyone inside the truck either.