Building on Main Street in Winnipeg destroyed by fire, forces road closure

The occupants of the building had self-evacuated and one person was taken to the hospital in stable condition after being assessed by paramedics. 

A building on Main Street in Winnipeg has been severely damaged by a fire that forced closure of the road to traffic.

On Saturday morning, fire crews went to a two-storey commercial and residential, mixed-use building in the 800 block of Main Street after receiving multiple reports about a fire.

When crews arrived on the scene, they were confronted with heavy smoke and flames coming from the building.

The occupants of the building had self-evacuated and one person was taken to the hospital in stable condition after being assessed by paramedics.

Due to the condition of the building and the risk of collapse, crews fought the fire from the outside using handlines and arial ladder trucks to apply water to the blaze.

Firefighting operations are ongoing and crews are monitoring conditions in the neighbouring buildings, including the adjacent high-rise apartment block.

The potential for high-life hazards when dealing with a high-rise led to a second alarm being called and more crews arrived on the scene.

Due to the drifting smoke, crews began the process of evacuating the high-rise in an orderly manner as a precaution.