Winnipeg driver rescues passengers from burning van
A Winnipeg driver was in the right place at the right time when a paratransit van caught fire Thursday morning.
Lorne Mansky was driving to work on Beaverhill Boulevard in Southdale, when he noticed an orange flame coming from below a shared ride-service van stopped across from him at a four-way stop.
- The information you need to know, sent directly to you: Download the CTV News App
- Sign up now for daily CTV News Winnipeg newsletters
“I honked my horn, tried to make the driver aware,” Mansky said. “He didn’t see me, so he proceeded down the street.”
Mansky turned to follow the flaming van, trying to get the driver’s attention. Eventually, he was able to get the driver to stop the van.
“When I informed the driver, an older gentleman, that his van was on fire, obviously, it was a bit of a shock,” he said. “He was completely unaware.”
Mansky believes the van drove over a cardboard box, which got stuck under the vehicle and ignited. He said a bystander in the area was able to sweep the cardboard box out from beneath the van.
However, the fire started up again when the hood of the van was opened up.
“At that point, we were making some suggestions that we needed to get the passengers out of the vehicle,” Mansky said.
Mansky, the driver, and the bystander were able to get the backdoor open. The driver was able to get one passenger out with the wheelchair ramp, but it soon wouldn’t work due to the fire. Mansky then found the manual pump handle while the driver disconnected the last passenger and helped get them to safety. Another passenger, who didn’t need a wheelchair, was able to get out.
“It is a little emotional when you talk to one of them after the fact, and the guy wants to shake your hand and say, ‘Thanks for saving my life,’” Mansky said.
Firefighters soon arrived and extinguished the fire.
Mansky said he was thankful he could help.
“I've been a member of a service club for 30 plus years. We believe in working with our communities and making our communities better,” he said. “What kind of a member would I be if I completely ignored somebody in such desperate need?”
Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service said there were no injuries, and the cause of the fire is under investigation.
The city told CTV News Winnipeg that the vehicle was not a Transit Plus van. CTV News has tried to find the company that operates the vehicle.
-With files from CTV’s Gary Robson
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Ontario Premier Doug Ford threatens to cut off energy to U.S. in response to Trump's tariffs
Ontario Premier Doug Ford has threatened to cut off energy supply to the U.S. in response to the tariffs President-elect Donald Trump plans to impose on all Canadian imports.
Elon Musk calls Justin Trudeau 'insufferable tool' in new social media post
Billionaire Elon Musk is calling Prime Minister Justin Trudeau 'an insufferable tool' in a new social media post on Wednesday. 'Won't be in power for much longer,' Musk also wrote about the prime minister on 'X.'
Trudeau will have to 'kiss the ring' to achieve smoother bilateral relations with Trump: John Bolton
If Prime Minister Justin Trudeau wants to get on U.S. president-elect Donald Trump's good side for the sake of a smooth bilateral relationship, he'll likely have to be openly deferential, says former U.S. National Security Advisor, John Bolton.
MAID cases rose to 15,000 in 2023, but growth of cases halved
More than 15,000 people received medical assistance in dying in Canada in 2023, but federal statistics show the growth in cases has slowed significantly.
Luxury real estate brokers charged in federal indictment with sex trafficking in NYC
Two luxury real estate brokers and their brother have been charged with luring, drugging and violently raping dozens of women over more than a decade.
Police locate labyrinth of tunnels connecting tents to generator in Hamilton encampment
Hamilton police say that they discovered a series of 'man-made holes and tunnels' during a patrol of a downtown encampment earlier this week.
Certain foods may disrupt your body's fight against cancer cells, study says
The food you eat may be affecting your body’s ability to fight cancer cells in the colon, according to a new study.
Banks lower prime rates following Bank of Canada move
Canadian financial institutions are lowering their prime lending rates to match the decrease announced by the Bank of Canada.
Toronto agency launches court challenge against new law that would shutter some supervised consumption sites
A social agency that runs a supervised consumption service (SCS) in Toronto’s Kensington Market has launched a court challenge against new legislation that will see 10 such sites shuttered across the province, arguing that the law violates the Charter of Rights and Freedoms.