Winnipeg police are crediting AIR1 for calling in what turned out to be a major fire on William Avenue Friday morning.
Police said their chopper was on a routine patrol just before 3 a.m. when they spotted a large fire at a multi-family home in the 500 block of William Avenue.
“The building was engulfed in flames, and people outside appeared to be attempting to alert other residents within the building,” said police.
The crew in the helicopter realized that the city’s fire department had not been called, so they called it in.
Officers arrived and began assisting by using fire extinguishers to clear flames and enter the building to search for people who were trapped inside. Police were ultimately able to help six residents in the building flee,” said Const. Rob Carver.
There was no immediate word on how the fire started.
There were no injuries, and police said they weren’t sure how many people actually lived in the house.
“It’s not entirely clear whether all the people there were supposed to be there,” said Carver.
Ihor Holoczynsky, Assistant Chief of Fire, said he believed this wasn’t the first time AIR1 has reported a fire before anyone on the ground, but couldn’t confirm that right away.