Three firefighters were injured and more than a dozen people had to temporarily leave a neighbouring building after a vacant house in north Winnipeg went up in flames Tuesday morning.
The Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service (WFPS) said it was called to the one-and-a-half storey College Avenue house around 8:30 a.m., where they found an already active blaze that was starting to extend to another house.
The neighbouring house was evacuated, as was a second home nearby as a precaution, as crews tackled the fire.
A total of sixteen people were displaced as a result of the fire, and were helped by the city’s emergency social services to find temporary accommodations.
Three firefighters were taken to hospital during the incident, including one in unstable condition.
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“The heat and humidity today created challenging conditions for crews and WFPS thanks all members for their hard work and commitment to the safety of Winnipeggers,” said Scott Wilkinson, assistant chief of community risk reduction.
The vacant building — which had apparently also suffered damage from a previous fire — is expected to be a total loss. Major structural damage was caused to the neighbouring two-storey house, as well as smoke and water damage throughout.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation.
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