A pair of fires Wednesday morning temporarily shut down some Winnipeg streets as fire crews worked to get the flames under control.
At 7:35 a.m., the Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service was called to a single-family bungalow on Magnus Avenue, after receiving an initial 911 call from an off-duty firefighter.
No one was injured in the blaze, which was declared under control — despite challenges due to frigid temperatures and icy conditions — as of Wednesday afternoon, but crews stayed on scene putting out hotspots, and a stretch of Magnus Avenue, as well as the back lane, remained temporarily closed.
The WFPS is urging residents to use caution in the area, as water used to extinguish the fire has caused slippery conditions. City crews will be adding sand and de-icing agents to the road.
The house is considered to be a total loss, and the cause of the fire is being investigated.
Twenty minutes after being called to the Magnus Avenue fire, crews were alerted to another blaze, this time at a vacant three-storey apartment building on Furby Street.
The WFPS said fires had previously happened at the same building in March 2020, July 2022, September 2022, and May 2023.
The fire was declared under control within about two hours, and no occupants were found. The cause of the blaze continues to be under investigation.
Warnings about icy road conditions are in effect at the site of the Furby fire as well, and city crews will be working to improve traction in the area.