Winnipeg, MB – At 2:24 a.m. on Wednesday, May 20, 2020, the Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service (WFPS) responded to a garage fire in the rear of the 200 block of Watt Street.
When crews arrived on scene, they encountered the garage fully engulfed in flames, with the fire extending to adjacent utility poles. A fire attack was launched with crews declaring it under control at 2:41 a.m.
Occupants of a neighbouring home were temporarily evacuated as a precaution. No injuries were reported.
The cause of the fire is under investigation and no damage estimates are currently available.
At 2:58 a.m., WFPS crews responded to reports of a fire at a single-family home in the first block of Vale Place. Upon arrival on scene, crews encountered an outdoor fire which was extending to the exterior of the home. An attack was launched and the fire was quickly brought under control.
All occupants of the home safely self-evacuated prior to the arrival of crews. No injuries were reported.
The cause of the fire was determined to be accidental, due to the disposal of a cigarette butt in a planter.
Residents are reminded they should 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. Smoking material should always be extinguished in an ashtray or deep metal container. Butts should also never be thrown from balconies, car windows, or disposed of near any vegetation such as grass or brush.