Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service responds to fires on Kennedy Street and Kylemore Avenue

Winnipeg, MB – Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service (WFPS) crews responded to two fires on Friday, July 5.

Kennedy Street fire

At 4:34 p.m., WFPS crews responded to a monitored fire alarm at an 11-storey apartment building in the 300 block of Kennedy Street.

Crews found smoke and fire in one of the suites when they arrived on scene. They launched an offensive fire attack and quickly put the fire out. It was declared under control at 4:52 p.m.

The resident of the suite self-evacuated prior to the arrival of firefighters. No injuries were reported.

Preliminary investigations suggest the fire was accidental, caused by 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.

Kylemore Avenue fire

At 5:08 p.m. on Friday, July 5, WFPS crews responded to reports of fire at a one-and-a-half-storey house in the 500 block of Kylemore Avenue.

Smoke was coming from the structure when crews arrived on scene. They entered the house and launched a fire attack, using hose lines to put the fire out. Crews had the fire under control at 5:30 p.m.

Firefighters completed a search of the house and no occupants were found. No injuries were reported.

The structure sustained water, smoke and fire damage. Damage estimates are not available.

The City of Winnipeg’s Emergency Social Services team was deployed to assist displaced residents find temporary accommodations.

WFPS’ Accelerant Detection K9 assisted fire investigators at the scene. The cause of the fire remains under investigation.