'A big blow to everyone': Fire destroys Winkler shop

A fire destroyed a popular paint and hobby shop in Winkler Thursday afternoon with black smoke prompting Winkler police to close off a stretch of Highway 32 for more than an hour.
Winkler fire crews were called to Janzen’s Paint and Decorating on Centennial Street at 12:20 in the afternoon.
“There was a lot of smoke, a lot of flames, and within the hour, we saw walls falling and paint cans popping. It was just, a lot. A lot to watch in a very short time,” Arlen Thiessen, property manager with A L Group of Companies told CTV News.
Thiessen said the first priority was making sure everyone evacuated safely.
“It was very quick. We did a kind of inventory of people, and realized luckily at the time, there were no customers in the store, so got all the staff out,” Thiessen said.
Winkler Fire Chief Richard Paetzold told CTV News the fire was already well-involved when crews arrived.
“We attempted an offensive attack for a short period, but because of the contents of the building and the nature of the hazards, we quite soon went into a defensive mode,” Paetzold said.
Thiessen said that shift likely prevented the fire from spreading to an adjacent building.
“The amazing work of the fire department did save that building, so we’re very thankful of them for that,” Thiessen added.
Chief Paetzold said the Winkler Fire Department received assistance from crews out of Morden and Altona. He said they remained on the scene for 12 hours and had to rotate frequently because of the cold.
“Some of our firefighters did suffer from frostbite, but other than that, there were no other injuries.”
Thiessen said the loss of a locally-owned business is devastating.
“They got toys and games and model cars and everything you could think of in the hobby world,” Thiessen explained. “So, it’s a beloved business in the community and it’s a big blow to everyone.”
The cause of the fire is under investigation.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Donald Trump indicted; 1st ex-president charged with crime
Donald Trump has been indicted by a Manhattan grand jury, prosecutors and defense lawyers said Thursday, making him the first former U.S. president to face a criminal charge and jolting his bid to retake the White House next year.

Police find 6 bodies, including 1 child, in St. Lawrence River
The bodies of six people, including one child, were found in the St. Lawrence River Thursday afternoon after an air search involving the Canadian Coast Guard, the Akwesasne Mohawk Police said.
'Nova Scotians' sense of safety was rocked': RCMP failures dominate inquiry's final report into 2020 mass shooting
A long list of failures by Nova Scotia RCMP leadership and policing systems dominate the final report into Nova Scotia's April 2020 mass shooting.
Meet the Canadian astronauts up for a seat on the Artemis II mission to the moon
This Sunday, NASA and the Canadian Space Agency (CSA) will announce the four astronauts that will be blasting off to fly around the moon for the Artemis II mission, one of whom will be a Canadian astronaut.
Gwyneth Paltrow not at fault for ski collision, jury decides
Gwyneth Paltrow won her court battle over a 2016 ski collision at a posh Utah ski resort after a jury decided Thursday that the movie star wasn't at fault for the crash.
Memes, ski etiquette and that missing GoPro video: Highlights from the Gwyneth Paltrow trial
When two skiers collided on a beginner run at an upscale Utah ski resort in 2016, no one could foresee that seven years later, the crash would become the subject of a closely watched celebrity trial.
Facebook users consume more fake news than users of Twitter, other social media sites: Study
When it comes to election misinformation on social media, Facebook takes the cake, according to a new study which found heavy Facebook users were far more likely to consume fake news than Twitter or other social media sites.
People may buy less alcohol when stores have non-alcoholic drinks on sale, study suggests
Researchers believe the availability of non-alcoholic drinks can help to combat drinking problems.
EXCLUSIVE | Security increased for prime minister's advisers after break-and-enter incidents
Ottawa Police are investigating an attempted break-in at the residence of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's national security adviser, the second such incident involving one of his top aides in recent months.