Homes evacuated, firefighter taken to hospital following Point Douglas warehouse fire
Some Point Douglas area homes have been evacuated as a precaution and one firefighter has been taken to hospital as crews continue to battle a large fire burning in an abandoned warehouse that could take days to extinguish.
Grey, thick smoke could be seen billowing from the area Tuesday afternoon. Pahul Singh had been in the area on his lunch break when he saw the smoke that he said made the sky pitch black.
"There was one fire truck followed by many more, and there was a lot of ambulances and it was just crazy," he said.
The Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service was called to the fire around 11:20 a.m., and will likely remain on scene for several days.
Late Tuesday afternoon, Jamie Vanderhorst, assistant chief of WFPS fire and rescue operations, said so far, the reports suggest the building, located at 2 Point Douglas Avenue, was empty and there was no one inside. However, there’s been no way for fire crews to enter the building and verify.
He noted that it is safe to say the building is a total loss, as the roof has caved in, though no damage estimates are available.
“What the crews encountered was the heavy black smoke and flames from the middle, which caused the roof to collapse,” Vanderhorst said.
“At this time, because the roof collapsed, it is hard to get at those hot spots without making that entry.”
He noted since firefighters can’t gain entry to the building, they have to find other ways to extinguish the fire from outside the structure.
Vanderhorst added that since it’s a warm day outside, they’ve been having to rotate crews. The city said about 33 fire and paramedic apparatus have been dispatched, with around 100 WFPS members involved in the fire fight.
“We also are encountering some issues with hydro wires,” he said.
“Even though apparently they are off. It is very hard for our apparatuses to get in there to deploy an aerial to get it from up above.”
The Winnipeg Police Service confirmed to CTV News it is assisting with the fire. Police said eastbound Higgins Avenue is now closed at Annabella Street, with traffic being rerouted north and west. Southbound. Higgins Avenue is closed at Sutherland Avenue, with traffic being rerouted west.
The public is asked to avoid the area and find alternate routes.
“We’re looking at it to be a prolonged event,” Vanderhorst said at a Tuesday afternoon news conference.
Area resident Shaone Ritchie, who lives within blocks of the fire, said the blaze is not surprising.
"It is becoming a common occurrence around here," he said. "It would be nice to see it cleaned up because then we can get this neighbourhood back to the way it was – which is family oriented."
Tuesday night, in a release, the City of Winnipeg said approximately 10 nearby homes were evacuated as a precaution. It said Emergency Social Services was called to help displaced residents find a temporary place to stay. It was unknown Tuesday night when they would be able to return to thier homes.
The smoke from the fire prompted the city to advise people with breathing conditions to stay inside and keep doors and windows closed. The city said Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service had informed Manitoba Conservation and Climate of the fire so it can assess the environmental impact on the site.
The cause of the fire is under investigation.
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.