Investigation into Sheshatshiu house fire continues

Poor weather is delaying the investigation Monday into a house fire and the disappearance of a teenager in Sheshatshiu in central Labrador.

Unidentified remains were found in the burned-out house on Dec. 30.

Firefighters and police initially thought everyone in the building had been accounted for, but they re-examined the site after a 15-year-old boy was reported missing.

RCMP Cpl. Stephen Conohan told CBC News that forensic investigators have been picking through the debris looking for evidence.

"Our major crime unit from Gander is now on scene," he said. "And they're trying to determine the cause of the blaze."

Conohan said an autopsy on the remains planned for Monday has been delayed by 24 hours because of the bad weather.

"The remains are being flown down by police plane to St. John's for that autopsy to be conducted. Initially it was to be conducted today. However, it looks like it's been postponed until tomorrow given the weather," he said.

Conohan said the police wouldn't speculate on whether the remains are human.

He said they haven't ruled out the possibility that they could be part of a caribou or moose carcass.