Winnipeg, MB – At 9:55 p.m. on October 9, 2020, the Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service (WFPS) responded to reports of a fire in a three-storey condominium complex in the first block of Burland Avenue.
When WFPS arrived on scene, crews encountered heavy smoke coming from a storage shed on a third-floor balcony with flames extending into the attic. The fire was declared under control at 10:47 p.m.
Most occupants of the complex safely self-evacuated. Crews assisted the remaining individuals with evacuation. No injuries were reported and residents were later able to return to their suites.
The fire was determined to be accidental, believed to be caused by the improper disposal of a cigarette butt.
Residents are reminded to take extra care when disposing of cigarette butts. Smoking material should always be extinguished in a proper ashtray or deep metal container. Cigarette butts should also never be thrown from balconies, car windows, or disposed of near any vegetation such as grass, leaves or brush.
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.
No damage estimates are available at this time.