Fire crews battle five-storey apartment fire, one firefighter taken to hospital

One firefighter has been taken to hospital and crews are investigating after a fire broke out in an apartment building Saturday morning.

The city said the Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service (WFPS) responded to a five-storey apartment building on Newdale Avenue around 9:41 a.m.

WFPS crews encountered heavy smoke and flames when they arrived and additional unites were dispatched because of the size of the building and the number of people inside.

The fire was deemed under control at 10:10 a.m.

Spencer Shewchook is one of the resident in the building and said he was just waking up when he realized there were flames just outside his balcony.

"I tried to get all my things, but the smoke started coming in because the glass broke. So I just had to pick up my cat and run out. I wasn't able to grab anything else," said Shewchook.

A look inside one of the units at the apartment building on Newdale Avenue where a fire broke out Saturday morning. (April 29, 2023. Source: Spencer Shewchook)

He said his flight or fight instincts kicked and he knew he just had to get out as quickly as possible.

The city said a number of units in the building were damaged but some residents were able to return once the apartment was ventilated.

One resident was treated by paramedics at the scene and did not need to go to the hospital. However, one firefighter was taken to hospital in stable condition.

The cause of the fire is being investigated and damages estimates are not available.