Winnipeg police say a man has been charged in connection to a family dispute that led to a deliberately set fire, killing two women and injuring several others.
William Nattaway is charged with two counts of second-degree murder and two counts of arson with disregard for human life in connection with a Feb. 7 fire on Agnes Street.
Emergency crews were called to the two-storey house in the 300 block of Agnes Street just before 10 a.m., after the residence was set ablaze.
In a news conference Wednesday afternoon, Winnipeg Police confirmed 19 individuals were in the 2-storey residence at the time of the fire.
Five people were taken to hospital, three in critical condition and two in stable condition.
One of those initially listed in critical condition was later upgraded to stable, but two women, ages 18 and 48, died from their injuries.
Police identified the victims as 18-year-old Tyanaa Nattaway and 48-year-old Crystal Mary Ellen Beardy, members of Garden Hill First Nation who had been living in Winnipeg.
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Police confirmed that the suspect and victims are related.
At a Wednesday news conference, Const. Claude Chancy said the fire followed a dispute inside the home.
“Some were residents and related to one another and some were not,” Chancy said, referring to the 19 people inside the residence.
Police allege the dispute escalated, and Nattaway left the house before setting the fire outside on the front porch.
“Nattaway left the home and used a device to set the outside of the home on fire. It quickly escalated, the house became engulfed in flames,” Chancy said.
Police described the porch as having wood elements that allowed flames to spread quickly. The house contains separate units on the first and second floors.
“Some people self-evacuated and neighbors came rather quickly and did help evacuate other residents as well,” Chancy added.
Neighbours described a chaotic and traumatic scene as flames tore through the home.
“We heard some sound and as soon as we looked out the window, we could just see flames,” Samantha Nykoluk, who lives across the street, told Global News.
Nykoluk said neighbours rushed to help those escaping the fire.
“I could hear them yelling ‘help me’ out the house, out the windows,” she said.
She described seeing one man who had suffered severe burns. “There was a man walking down the stairs … and it looked like his skin was dripping off him like wax. The fire was traumatic.”
“The family was in shock, I had a lot of extra clothes so I started rounding up jackets, sweaters, pants, shoes, anything I could find for everybody,” Nykoluk added.
She said the loss has left the family devastated.
“Tyanaa is sleeping now… forever. It’s really unfortunate, how did it get this bad?” Nykoluk said.
Emergency services arranged temporary lodging for displaced residents, while members of the community provided clothing and shelter.
“Our hearts are with the people that have lost family members,” police said.
Police say the investigation is ongoing and are asking anyone with information to contact authorities.
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