Winnipeg, MB – The Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service (WFPS) responded to two early morning fires.
Selkirk Avenue fire
At 5:47 a.m. on Wednesday, August 28, WFPS crews responded to reports of fire at a two-storey residential dwelling in the 600 block of Selkirk Avenue.
When crews arrived on scene, smoke was coming from the structure. They entered the building and launched an offensive fire attack, using hose lines to put the flames out. The fire was declared under control at 6:24 a.m.
Residents self-evacuated before crews arrived on scene. There were no injuries reported.
The City of Winnipeg’s Emergency Social Services team was called to help displaced residents find temporary accommodations.
Damage estimates are not available at this time. The cause of the fire remains under investigation.
Cobourg Avenue fire
At 6:40 a.m. on Wednesday, August 28, 2024, the WFPS responded to reports of a fire involving two single-family houses on Cobourg Avenue.
Upon arrival on scene, crews found a two-storey house engulfed in flames with the fire extending to a neighbouring one-and-a-half storey house and another two-storey house. A garage at the rear of the property also had fire extension.
Crews entered the two-storey house where the fire originated but were forced out by heavy fire conditions. They transitioned to a defensive fire attack from the exterior. Once conditions improved, they were able to re-enter the house to fully extinguish the fire. One cat was located deceased in the house.
Firefighters made entry to the other two homes and garage and launched fire attacks from the interiors. They were able to extinguish the fire in the other two-storey house and garage from inside. However, they were forced to exit the one-and-a-half storey house due to deteriorating fire conditions. They have transitioned to a defensive fire attack on that house and are using an aerial ladder truck to apply water to the fire while also protecting an additional neighbouring house.
Occupants from all three houses self-evacuated. One individual was assessed by on-scene paramedics but did not require transport to hospital. One firefighter also required medical attention at the scene, but did not require transport to hospital. No other injuries were reported.
It is expected that crews will remain on scene through the morning.
The fire is under investigation. Two of the houses sustained significant damage while the third house and the garage sustained moderate damage. Damage estimates are not available at this time.