Winnipeg, MB – The Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service (WFPS) responded to two recent structure fires.
Rochester Avenue fire
At 2:09 a.m. on Friday, July 28, 2023, WFPS crews responded to reports of a fire in a single-family home in the 0 to 100 block of Rochester Avenue.
Upon arrival on scene, crews found smoke and flames coming from the residence. They launched an interior, offensive attack on the fire, declaring it under control at 3:12 a.m.
All occupants of the home safely self-evacuated prior to the arrival of crews. No injuries were reported. The City’s Emergency Social Services team assisted displaced residents in finding temporary accommodations.
Preliminary observations suggest the fire was accidental, caused by the improper disposal of cigarette butts. Residents are reminded to follow these safety tips:
- Smoking material should always be extinguished in a proper ashtray or deep metal container.
- Cigarette 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.
No damage estimates are available at this time.
Dufferin Avenue fire
At 8:54 p.m. on Thursday, July 27, 2023, the WFPS responded to reports of a fire in a vacant, two-storey house in the 400 block of Dufferin Avenue.
When crews arrived to the scene, they encountered smoke coming from the house. Firefighters launched an interior fire attack, declaring the fire under control at 9:28 p.m.
Crews completed a search of the structure and no occupants were found. There were no injuries reported.
The house was previously damaged by a fire on July 23, 2023.