Winnipeg police investigating after 5 overnight fires

Five separate fires kept emergency crews busy Wednesday night and into Thursday morning.

“Given the proximity, the time frame, and the nature of the fires, I think our investigators are certainly looking to them being suspicious in nature,” Winnipeg police Cst. Rob Carver told 680 CJOB News Thursday.

RELATED: Suspicious fire destroys only grocery store in Brochet, Man.

The Major Crimes Unit is investigating the suspicious blazes. No injuries were reported.

Timeline of fire reports from Winnipeg police:

• 7:20 p.m.: Reports of a garage fire in the rear lane of Selkirk Avenue near Parr Street.
• 10:20 p.m.: Reports of fire at a vacant home in the 1000 block of Redwood Avenue.
• 1:10 a.m.: Reports of a garage fire in the 300 block of Bannerman Avenue.
• 1:30 a.m.: Reports of a garage fire in the 300 block of Atlantic Avenue.
• 5:10 a.m.: The final call was received just after 5 a.m. of a fire in another garage in the 700 block of College Avenue.

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“They really ran the gambit from something pretty small where a neighbour called it in, to a building that was already well involved in a fire,” Carver said. “So right from not so bad to pretty serious.”

Fire officials told 680 CJOB News that it’s the time of year when a “normal” increase in suspicious fires often occur.

RELATED: Winnipeg firefighters tackle series of ‘suspicious’ fires on Saturday night

“We see this each year due to the warmer weather and increase in yard waste and bulky waste people put out for collection,”Assistant Chief Mark Reshaur said.

“Simply put, there’s more accessible combustible materials out along the lanes.”

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People are asked to remove combustible waste from along their lanes and to contact 311 to report fire risks.

“Every fire is significant; every fire has an impact on the property owners and it has an impact on the neighbours and reduces people’s sense of security,” Reshaur said.