3 firefighters taken to hospital after battling flames at North End home

Three firefighters were taken to hospital after fighting a large blaze in the 300 block of College Avenue. (Source: Owen Swinn/CTV News)

A Winnipeg firefighter was taken to hospital in unstable condition after battling a fire at a vacant North End home Tuesday morning.

According to the city, the fire at a vacant, one-and-a-half storey house in the 300 block of College Avenue was reported to the Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service (WFPS) just before 8:30 a.m. Crews arrived on scene to find a ‘well-involved fire’ at the vacant house that had extended to one floor of a second, occupied home.

The city said crews immediately evacuated the neighbouring property, launching a defensive attack on the first home and an offensive attack on the second.

Hard lines were established to extinguish both fires, and an aerial ladder was set up.

A second neighbouring property was evacuated as a precaution.

The city said two firefighters were taken to hospital in stable condition, and a third was transported in unstable condition.

EVACUATED NEIGHBOUR LEFT BEHIND IMPORTANT MEDICATION

Lillian Jean Catcheway said she was woken up by a neighbour Tuesday morning, telling her the house next door was on fire.

Catcheway and her husband rented the two-and-a-half storey home next door to where the fire broke out, and her daughter lived a floor above.

“We couldn’t even grab anything,” she said.

She said her home was badly damaged, with flames from the neighbouring home spreading to her roof.

Catcheway lives with Type 2 diabetes and had her leg amputated a few months back. She had to leave behind important prescription medication and supplies that she needs daily.

She also left a cherished guitar and a television passed down from her late brother and sister.

“I’m losing all my valuable stuff in there, memories,” she said.

“I also left my daughter’s pictures in there. I had an album of her, my oldest daughter who passed away,” she said.

Catcheway said she does not have insurance, so she will have to pay for everything to be replaced.

In the meantime, her home is not habitable. The city said the vacant, one-and-a-half storey house is expected to be a total loss and suffered damage from a previous fire. The two-and-a-half storey home suffered major structural damage to the attic, as well as smoke and water damage throughout.

The cause of the primary fire is under investigation, and damage estimates were not immediately available.

The city’s emergency social services were called to help the 16 occupants of the extension property find temporary accommodations.

Residents of the other neighbouring property are expected to be able to return to their home once crews complete their work.

HEAT CREATES CHALLENGE FOR FIRE CREWS

Meanwhile, WFPS assistant chief of community risk reduction Scott Wilkinson said Mother Nature did not help crews in the fight.

“The heat and humidity today created challenging conditions for crews and WFPS thanks all members for their hard work and commitment to the safety of Winnipeggers,” he said.

The city said Tuesday afternoon firefighters knocked down the fires in both properties, but were still on scene to address hot spots and to carry out overhaul operations.

College Avenue is closed between Aikins and Charles streets, and residents are advised to avoid the area.