Winnipeggers woke up to a fire that destroyed part of a church in the Elmwood neighbourhood on Wednesday morning.
Firefighters were called to the Spanish Church of God on Tweed Avenue just before 4 a.m. and weren’t able to enter the building due to heavy fire conditions.
According to the Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service, the blaze was declared under control by 5:49 a.m. The church’s north building was demolished, facing water and smoke damage. The south building, consisting of the church hall, was saved.
Christina Hernandez, who lives nearby and whose husband is the church’s pastor, told 680 CJOB she woke up to an orange glow.
“I woke up my husband and I said, ‘get up, the church is on fire’,” Hernandez said.
“Suddenly, the roof, the tower and everything caught fire.”
Hernandez said she was concerned there may have been people asleep in the homes next to the church, but thankfully firefighters had the situation under control quickly.
One firefighter was injured in the effort and taken to hospital in stable condition, and a neighbouring home was temporarily evacuated for precautionary reasons.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation.
According to the Manitoba Historical Society , the wood-frame church was originally built in 1911 as St. Paul’s Lutheran Church.
Road closures related to the fire included Tweed Avenue from Elmwood Road to Allan Street and Watt Street from Thames Avenue to Riverton Avenue. They are now open.
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