News briefs for Sunday, April 7, 2024

North End home damaged in fire

12:03 PM

Winnipeg fire crews responded to a house fire in the North End neighbourhood Saturday night.

Firefighters arrived at a one-and-a-half-storey home in the 100 block of Andrews Street around 10:52 p.m., the Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service said in a release Sunday.

Crews were able to enter the house — which was billowing smoke — and battle the blaze from inside, declaring it under control at 11:17 p.m., WFPS said.

All occupants fled from the home before crews arrived, and nobody was injured. The City of Winnipeg dispatched its emergency social services team to help the displaced residents find temporary accommodations.

Investigators believe the fire was accidental, caused by an electrical hair straightener being placed in close proximity to combustible materials, the WFPS said.

Transit bus catches fire

12:01 PM

A Winnipeg Transit bus caught fire Saturday night in an incident that officials have deemed not suspicious.

Fire crews responded to the City of Winnipeg’s Fort Rouge Transit Garage around 10:37 p.m., where they found a bus burning in one of the property’s parking bays, the Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service said in a release Sunday.

“They quickly worked to apply water to the fire, declaring the fire under control at 11:00 p.m. Crews then worked to ventilate the garage, ensuring it was safe for Transit employees,” WFPS said.

Firefighters searched the garage, which was unoccupied. Nobody was injured during the blaze, WFPS said.

Damage estimates are not available. The cause of the fire is under investigation, but the WFPS does not believe it is suspicious in nature, it said.

Mounties search for missing Gimli man

11:37 AM

Manitoba RCMP are looking for a missing man who was last seen in the Gimli area.

Mounties say 63-year-old Gerard Dubois left his home on Hansson Avenue in the RM of Gimli around 7:30 p.m. on Thursday evening. He was driving a red 2008 Ford Escape with Manitoba licence plate HAJ 859.

Dubois is described as 5″11 with brown hair, brown eyes and a mustache. He was last seen wearing a red shirt and red pants with a green and black plaid jacket, a news release says.

Dubois may be heading to the the St. Vital area of Winnipeg or Ile des Chenes.

Police and his family are concerned for his well-being.

Anyone with information on Dubois’ whereabouts is asked to call police at 204-642-5104, Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477, or online at www.manitobacrimestoppers.com.

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