Four young men are without a home Monday after a fire destroyed the St. Vital house they were renting.
Winnipeg fire crews were called to a home on Knotsberry Bay just before midnight Sunday.
Fire officials believe the blaze started in the home’s garage and then spread to the attic.
“It seemed to move very quickly,” said Platoon Chief Chuck Jonasson.
Several fire trucks were brought in to battle the blaze after cold weather slowed down crews.
Jonasson said the weather caused a number of problems for fire crews, including freezing equipment and making it unsafe to use ladders.
Four people were home watching the Grey Cup game when the blaze started but all managed to get out safely.
Police said the garage was being used as a smoking hut, and a space heater was plugged in to keep the area warm.
Neighbours said the owner is currently away working in Yellowknife, and he was renting the home to the four young men.
“He’s a great guy. We’ll look after him once he comes home,” said Bruno D’Abramo, who lives nearby.
The fire caused an estimated $360,000 worth of damage.
“It’s very, very hard on the people that lost a lot of their belongings,” said neighbour Christina D’Abramo. “They’re young people. They don’t have a lot of money.”
Fire crews managed to contain the blaze before it spread to neighbouring properties.
Still, fire officials are warning that the changing season causes a shift in fire cases.
“Now that it’s colder weather, people have shifted back inside to do their affairs so you’re going to see a lot more fires within the home – space heaters, those types of things,” said Mark Proulx, a fire prevention officer.
Investigators are still trying to determine what sparked the fire.
