Fire at Brandon condo building extinguished; police ensuring all residents accounted for
Police in Brandon are hopeful that all residents of a four-storey condominium are safe after a fire tore through the building Tuesday night, sending flames shooting from the roof.
Dramatic photos and videos posted to social media show onlookers watching the building go up in flames. According to police, the building was engulfed on Tuesday night, but has now been extinguished.
As of Wednesday morning, firefighters remain on scene to monitor for flare-ups and hot spots.
Sgt. Kirby Sararas, a public information officer with the Brandon Police Service, told CTV News Winnipeg that officers were called to the complex at 1400 Pacific Avenue at 8:46 p.m. Sararas said officers were able to enter the 48-unit building, and knocked on all doors, assisting with the evacuation of the building. Neighbouring buildings were also evacuated out of precaution, but no other structures were damaged.
Sararas said the police service was not aware of any injuries, as authorities are still working to determine if all the residents have been accounted for.
“We are hopeful that everyone made it out,” Sararas said.
Sararas said the cause of the fire is not known, and due to the extent of the fire, it will take time to determine. Sararas added that the top level of the home is extensively fire-damaged, while the lower levels sustained a lot of water damage.
Residents of the building can go to the Victoria Inn to register and get help with temporary accommodations. Even those who already have alternate accommodations lined up are asked to go to the inn. Once they are registered and accounted for, they can leave for their accommodations.
Pacific Avenue is still blocked off to drivers and pedestrians. Police ask people to avoid the area.
Police will begin an investigation into the cause of the fire after fire inspectors assess the building for any safety concerns.
- With files from CTV’s Danton Unger, Tim Salzen and Kayla Rosen.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Grandparent scam: London, Ont., senior beats fraudsters not once, but twice
It was a typical Tuesday for Mabel Beharrell, 84, until she got the call that would turn her world upside down. Her teenaged grandson was in trouble and needed her help.
Deaths of 4 people on Sask. farm confirmed as murder-suicide
The deaths of four people on a farm near the Saskatchewan village of Neudorf have been confirmed a murder-suicide.
CRA no longer requiring 'bare trust' reporting in 2023 tax return
The Canada Revenue Agency announced Thursday it will not require 'bare trust' reporting from Canadians that it introduced for the 2024 tax season, just four days before the April 2 deadline.
Full parole granted to man convicted in notorious 'McDonald's murders' in Cape Breton
The Parole Board of Canada has granted full parole to one of three men convicted in the brutal murders of three McDonald's restaurant workers in Cape Breton more than 30 years ago.
Incident on Calgary's Reconciliation Bridge comes to safe resolution
Nearly 20 hours after a man climbed and remained perched on top of the Reconciliation Bridge in downtown Calgary, the situation came to a peaceful resolution.
Sunshine list: These were the Ontario public sector's highest earners in 2023
Ontario released its annual sunshine list Thursday afternoon, noting that the largest year-over-year increases were in hospitals, municipalities, and post-secondary sectors.
George Washington family secrets revealed by DNA from unmarked 19th century graves
Genetic analysis has shed light on a long-standing mystery surrounding the fates of U.S. President George Washington's younger brother Samuel and his kin.
'We won't forget': How some Muslims view Poilievre's stance on Israel-Hamas war
A spokesman for a regional Muslim advocacy group says Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre's stance on the Israel-Hamas war could complicate his party's relationship with Muslim Canadians.
Why some Christians are angry about Trump's 'God Bless the USA' Bible
Former U.S. President Donald Trump is officially selling a copy of the Bible themed to Lee Greenwood’s famous song, 'God Bless the USA.' But the concept of a Bible covered in the American flag has raised concern among religious circles.