Winnipeg, MB – At 10:29 p.m. on Thursday, May 2, Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service crews responded to reports of fire at a four-storey apartment building in the 200 block of Colony Street.
When crews arrived on scene, smoke was coming from the structure. They launched an interior fire attack, fighting the fire from inside the building. The fire was declared under control at 10:51 p.m.
Firefighters located one individual inside the building. Paramedics treated the individual and transported them to the hospital in critical condition. No other injuries were reported.
A Winnipeg Transit bus attended the scene to provide shelter for displaced residents. The City of Winnipeg’s Emergency Social Services team was also called to help residents find temporary accommodations.
Most of the damage was contained to the suite where the fire started.
The preliminary investigation suggests the fire was accidental, caused by the improper disposal of smoking materials. Residents are reminded to follow these safety tips:
- Smoking material should always be extinguished in a proper ashtray or deep metal container. The container should be placed on a sturdy surface, away from anything that can burn.
- Do not smoke in bed or on surfaces that can catch fire (upholstered furniture).
- Always be fully alert when smoking. Don’t smoke while falling asleep, or after taking medications or substances that make you drowsy.
- Before throwing ashes and butts away, be sure to ensure they are fully extinguished. Dousing them in water or sand is the best way to ensure they are completely out.
- Keep cigarettes, lighters, matches, and other smoking materials out of the reach of children or in a locked cabinet.
- Butts should never be thrown from balconies, decks, car windows, or disposed of near any vegetation such as grass, leaves or brush.
- Never use a plant pot as an ashtray. Potting soil is a mix of dirt and a number of combustible organic materials such as peat moss, shredded wood and minerals which are combustible. When a butt is put into a planter, it can smolder for several hours. Once the container heats up, it can crack, giving the smoldering material oxygen and the opportunity to spread to other combustibles such as decks, balconies, walls, etc.