A fire that shut down northbound traffic on Pembina Highway Tuesday began after a vehicle crashed into a building, the city said Tuesday.
Images shared to social media showed a black vehicle and the Goodwill store both engulfed in flames.
The City of Winnipeg said firefighters were called at around 11:15 a.m. and were met with heavy smoke and flames when they arrived.
Attacking from the outside, firefighters managed to knock down the bulk of the flames, allowing them to move inside to continue working to put it out.
The city said the driver of the vehicle involved was taken to hospital in stable condition, and staff and customers at the second-hand store had escaped before fire crews arrived.
A Goodwill spokesperson told CTV News that employees and customers only heard the crash from inside the store and made their way outside without assistance. Neighbouring buildings were evacuated as a precaution.
The city said police will be investigating what caused the crash.
Fire crews cleared up in the late afternoon and northbound traffic was reopened.
Construction crews arrived on scene, where they fenced up the rubble and boarded up the front of the store.
Goodwill said they expect it to be “months” before the store is ready for operation.
-With files from CTV's Jason Gaidola
Photo: Jordan Haslbeck/CTV News.
