Winnipeg, MB – The Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service responded to two major incidents this afternoon.
Academy Road Fire
At 1:40 p.m. on Saturday, July 23, 2022, WFPS responded to reports of a fire in between two commercial buildings in the 500 block of Academy Road.
When crews arrived on-scene, they observed the smell of smoke in one of the buildings and located the fire in the other business. They launched an offensive attack, exposing and then extinguishing a small fire. Crews pressurized the first building and ventilated the second.
Occupants of the first business self-evacuated. No occupants were present in the second building at the time of the fire.
Academy Road was temporarily closed in both directions between Lanark Street and Beaverbrook Street to facilitate fire operations.
The business of origin suffered fire and smoke damage. The cause of the fire is under investigation. No damage estimates are available.
Orchard Hill Trench Rescue
At 4:10 p.m. on Saturday, July 23, 2022, WFPS responded to multiple reports of an entrapment in the 0-100 block of Orchard Hill.
Once on-scene, WFPS crews observed an individual buried up to his waist in a collapsed trench.
Using heavy rescue units and a uniquely equipped truck, the Technical Rescue Task Force worked as a highly specialized team to safely extricate the individual from the soil.
The patient was assessed on-scene by paramedics but did not require transport to hospital.