Winnipeg, MB – At 10:03 p.m. on Saturday, April 25, 2026, the Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service responded to reports of a fire in a two-and-a-half storey residence in the 300 block of Selkirk Avenue.
Upon arrival on scene, crews found smoke coming from the building. They launched an interior fire attack, declaring the fire under control at 10:36 p.m.
All occupants safely evacuated prior to the arrival of responders. No injuries were reported. The City’s Emergency Social Services team was deployed to assist individuals displaced by the fire.
Damage estimates are not available.
Preliminary findings indicate the fire was accidental and likely caused by smoking.
Residents are reminded to follow these safety tips:
- Always put smoking materials out in a proper ashtray or a deep metal container. Place the container on a stable surface, away from anything that can burn.
- Never smoke in bed or on surfaces that can easily catch fire, such as upholstered furniture.
- Stay fully alert while smoking. Do not smoke if you feel sleepy or after taking medications or substances that can make you drowsy.
- Make sure ashes and cigarette butts are completely out before throwing them away. The safest way is to soak them in water or sand.
- Keep cigarettes, lighters, matches, and other smoking materials out of children’s reach or locked away.
- Never throw cigarette butts from balconies, decks, or car windows. Do not dispose of them near grass, leaves, brush, or other vegetation.
- Never use a plant pot as an ashtray. Potting soil contains combustible materials such as peat moss and shredded wood. A cigarette butt can smolder for hours and heat the container until it cracks, allowing oxygen in and potentially spreading fire to nearby materials like decks, balconies, or walls.