Dozens displaced by apartment block blaze

A fire at a four-storey apartment block in Heritage Park has left dozens of people without a home.

Smoke could be seen for blocks away as emergency crews responded Friday to 200 Quail Ridge Road. Flames tore through the roof and top floor.

A firefighter was sent to hospital in stable condition, he has since been released.

Residents were able to get out safely, but the building, with around 45 suites, could be a write-off.

Up to 180 people have been displaced.

Kayla McKay lives there with her parents and her six-year-old daughter. Their fourth floor suite appears to have a lot of damage.

"I still can't believe it's happening to so many of us," said McKay

McKay has family to stay with, others aren't as lucky

Along with the Red Cross, the city says it assisted 15 residents, the remainder found their own accommodations.

"I ran outside and right away I could smell the smoke and looked up and there were pillars of black smoke," said tenant Isobel Day.

Day is staying in a hotel and paying for it out of pocket. She says because of the May long weekend she is on her own.

"I have no idea where I'm going, what I'm doing after this," said Day.

The community is rallying around the evacuees. Strangers gave Day a jacket and a cell phone charger.

Within hours, tables at a nearby building were filled with clothes, as neighbour Ernie Adam and others are collecting donations. 

 "There's kids in that block and there's babies, all kinds, they've lost everything," said Adam

The Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service says the cause of the fire remains under investigation.