A fund has been set up for a family that lost three young boys in a fire that consumed their house earlier in the week in the remote northern Manitoba community of Pukatawagan.

From left: Letrel Bighetty-Castel, 5, Troi Castel-Lapansee, 3, and Robert Castel-Lapansee Jr., 4, smile in a photo taken just hours before they died in the fire.
(Family photo)

Residents of Pukatawagan are struggling to come to terms with the deaths on Monday of two young brothers — Troi Castel-Lapansee, 3, and Robert Castel-Lapansee Jr., 4 — and their cousin, Letrel Bighetty-Castel, 5.

Funerals for the boys are being planned for later in the week at Pukatawagan, about 700 kilometres northwest of Winnipeg. The three boys died of smoke inhalation, the RCMP said Wednesday.

The Swampy Cree Tribal Council, which represents eight First Nations in northwest central Manitoba, has set up a fund to help the family recover from the fire, which destroyed their house and everything in it. The family did not have insurance.

The boys were the grandchildren of Shirley Castel, the chief of the Mathias Colomb Cree Nation, which includes the community of Pukatawagan. Castel is in The Pas, where her daughter Selena, the mother of the two brothers, is due to give birth.

Donating to the family's fund
Donations to help the Castel-Lapansee family can be sent to: Swampy Cree Tribal Council Otineka Mall, 2nd Floor Box 150 The Pas, Man., R9A 1K4

"It's so very hard for all of us, but I would like to thank the people out there for all their prayers, especially for my son and daughter," Castel told CBC News on Wednesday.

"I know that our three little angels are up there with family members up in heaven, so I know they're well taken care of, and they don't have to suffer anymore on Earth here," she added, her voice breaking with emotion.

'Burned really fast'

The fire broke out around 2:30 p.m. Monday in a house trailer on the reserve. 

Local residents, workers and firefighters rushed to the scene and were able to pull Simon Nicholas, 57, who was babysitting the three boys, from the blazing building.

Witnesses said everyone desperately tried to get into the building to save the boys trapped inside, but the flames were too intense.

"Lots of people rushed here. The men came with their fire extinguishers. But it was already too late," said Alice Castel, the boys' aunt, who ran to the trailer when she heard about the fire.

"It burned really fast. Just like paper burning, that's how fast it burned."

Nicholas was airlifted to hospital in Winnipeg, where he remains in critical condition.

He was babysitting the two brothers, who called him "Grandpa-Uncle," while their father worked at a nearby health centre. Their cousin had come by for a visit.

'Overwhelming grief'

A 57-year-old man who was babysitting the children was pulled from the fire and airlifted to a Winnipeg hospital.
(CBC)

"It's very tragic in our community see that happening, because, you know, we're all very related in Pukatawagan," Castel said.

Residents in the community of 1,500 were stunned at the sudden loss.

"People are just devastated. Crying. Pretty much bawling their eyes out with grief, overwhelming grief," said local resident Wilfred Sinclair.

"People are in shock," said RCMP Staff Sgt. Wayne Foster. "Any time a community loses three young people, it's very hard to deal with. They're a tight-knit community here."

Investigators said the cause of the fire isn't known, but one band councillor suggested it may have started in the kitchen.

Castel said her nephews will be remembered as good kids.

"They were fun. Very active, happy. Fun to talk with and, you know, just normal boys growing up."