Winnipeg, MB – The Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service (WFPS) responded to several fires last night.
Chambers Street fire
At 1:53 a.m. on Thursday, August 15, 2024, WFPS crews responded to a fire in a vacant, two-storey house in the 200 block of Chambers Street. The fire was discovered by a WFPS crew while returning from another unrelated call. The crew alerted the WFPS 9-1-1 Communications Centre and additional crews were dispatched to the scene.
Crews found smoke coming from the house. They entered and fought the fire from the interior. The fire was declared under control at 2:17 a.m.
Crews completed a search of the house. No occupants were found. There were no injuries reported.
The fire is under investigation. Damage estimates are not available at this time.
If residents see someone actively entering a vacant structure, or removing boards from windows or doors, they should report the incident immediately by calling the Winnipeg Police Service at 911.
Anyone who sees that boarded windows or doors have been breached, but did not see someone actively entering or attempting to enter a structure should report the incident to 311.
Arlington Street fires
At 2:56 a.m. on Thursday, August 15, 2024, the WFPS responded to multiple reports of garbage bin fires in the 1600 and 1700 blocks of Arlington Street.
When crews arrived to the area, they found that one fire had spread to an adjacent detached garage. Crews worked to quickly extinguish all the fires. A search of the impacted garage was completed, and no occupants were found.
There were no injuries reported. Damage estimates are not available at this time.
All incidents are under investigation but are considered suspicious. Anyone with any information is asked to contact the Winnipeg Police Service.
Residents can follow these precautions to better protect their family and property from opportunistic arson:
- Clean up potential combustible items around your yard and home. Fires can spread quickly, so keep yard waste and bulky items like furniture away from your home, garage and fence.
- If you have bulky waste items like furniture and appliances, call 311 and the City will remove bulky items for a fee.
- Garbage is a frequent target for set fires, so consider placing your garbage and recycling bins out the morning of collection.
- Use motion-activated lights to brighten the outside of your home or garage.
- Store flammable materials safely.
- Keep shrubs and trees near buildings trimmed and watered and ensure they are regularly cleared of dead plant matter.
- If residents see excess garbage in a back lane, or witness illegal dumping, they are encouraged to report it to 311.