Five suspicious fires in the North End between Wednesday night and early Thursday morning are under investigation by the Major Crimes Unit.
The blazes occurred over a 10 hour period on several different streets and investigators are trying to determining if the incidents are linked.
The fires prompted the Winnipeg Police Service to send a warning to homeowners that with nicer weather comes an increased risk of fires.
The Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service responded to the first fire at around 7:20 p.m. on Wednesday in a back lane along Selkirk Avenue near Parr Street where garbage was burning.
The second fire was reported later the same night at 10:20 p.m. in a vacant home on Redwood Avenue. There was damage to the home and its contents but a woman at the home on Thursday said her two cats were inside the house during the blaze and survived.
At around 1:10 a.m., crews responded to a third fire in 300 block of Bannerman Avenue where fire damaged a garage and the contents inside.
About 20 minutes later at 1:30 a.m. fire crews responded to another garage fire in the 300 block of Bannerman Avenue.
A fifth fire was reported in a garage in the 700 block of College Avenue at 5:10 a.m. where a couple’s possessions were destroyed.
Shannon, who rents a home on College Avenue and the garage which burned declined to provide her last name but she said the she and her partner are devastated about the blaze.
“Everything we owned… our tools, a bike got ruined and now I don’t have a bike for the summer," she said.
Shannon said they collect discarded scrap metal and sell it.
Her neighbour saw the flames and called 911.
The neighbour’s vehicle was also damaged in the fire.
Police said residents should avoid placing bins, garbage or other combustible items against the exterior of your home, garage, shed, or fence as it can be a ready supply of fuel for an arsonist.
The city said if you have concerns about items piled in your neighbour’s yard you can call 311.
