Arson charges laid in weekend fire that destroyed Main Street building in Winnipeg

A man injured in a fire that destroyed a building on Main Street over the weekend has since been charged with starting the fire, police say.

Emergency crews were called to the blaze at the two-storey commercial and residential building in the 800 block of Main Street, around 7:20 a.m. Saturday.

Firefighters were confronted with heavy smoke and flames coming from the building. Main Street was shut in both directions while crews battled the fire.

Everyone in the building had self-evacuated and one person was taken to the hospital in an unstable condition where he was later upgraded to a stable condition.

0:27 Elderly residents react to early morning evacuation from Winnipeg apartment building

On Monday police said that person — now identified as a man in his 30s who had been found nearby by officers — is facing charges.

The unidentified man has been charged with arson with disregard for human life and arson causing damage to property. The man remains in police custody.

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An estimate of the damages caused by the fire hasn’t been made public, but the city has said the building will be a complete loss.

The fire was the second in the area within the last month.

A fire early Feb. 11 that started at 843 Main St. destroyed three businesses and forced several nearby residents to evacuate.

There’s been no word on what caused the earlier fire.