The Goodwill Store on Pembina Highway caught fire late Tuesday morning, sending thick black and white smoke and flames through the air.
WATCH: Goodwill store on Pembina catches fire after car crash
CJOB’s Richard Cloutier happened to be driving by and spoke to the station.
“I’m right at the corner here of Nesbitt and Pembina and very thick plumes of smoke are coming out of that Goodwill Store, the fire seems to be at the front of the building and fire fighters right now are in a defensive battle, trying to knock it down.”
Pembina Highway was closed northbound between Nesbitt Bay and Chevrier Boulevard, he said.
Witness Ryan Mikolaek told CJOB that a woman was driving in an SUV and had a medical emergency. She fell unconscious, clipped a red parked car and the SUV steered into the store. Shortly after, it burst into flames.
“By the time I was able to get turned around and to the scene, there was other people already helping as well, too. We got her out of the vehicle, she was obviously, visibly in shock, made sure everybody else got out of the building OK, and that’s when the vehicle caught fire.”
He said within 60 seconds, the entire storefront was ablaze.
“It all seemed to happen at once.”
The Winnipeg Fire and Paramedic Service said the crash and subsequent fire happened at about 11:15 a.m.
No customers or staff were hurt, they added, and the buildings immediately north and south of the fire were evacuated as a precaution.
Meanwhile, Canadian Goodwill Industries thanked their customers for their concern and thoughts.
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