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Arson suspected as fire damages five garages in North End
Three garages were damaged by fire. (KEN GIGLIOTTI/ WINNIPEG FREE PRESS) Photo Store
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Bob Gauthier hoses down foam and ash left from his garage. (KEN GIGLIOTTI/ WINNIPEG FREE PRESS) Photo Store
There were six garage fires overnight in Winnipeg, police said, causing nearly $100,000 in damage.
Five of the fires broke out in the North End, where residents said they suspect arson is the cause.
"It’s arson, there’s no doubt about that," said resident Ken Spicer, who this morning stood by the charred remains of his garage in 600 Block of Aberdeen Avenue. "There’s nothing in (the garage) that could have started the fire."
Fire crews arrived in the back lane of Aberdeen Avenue around 3:40 a.m., where two separate garage fires had started, and Spicer’s neighbour’s garage had also caught fire, he said. Police said the total damage to all three garages and contents is around $37,000.
Spicer said he was only alerted to the fire when he heard fire crews arrive. "I looked out the back and I saw the red glow," he said.
His mother, Pat Spicer, also woke up: "I could feel the heat from the back door and the firefighter kept me from going out," she said. "It makes me mad. I know now how other people feel now who this has happened to. You’ve got all your stuff in there."
Ken Spicer said there were antiques and gardening tools in the garage. Pat Spicer said they had insurance
Two doors down, Bob Gauthier sifts through the ashes in his garage, a gaping hole now in its side.
"I’m not impressed," he said, adding there was construction equipment, table saws, and tools in the garage.
Ken Spicer said the fires were put out at around 4:15 a.m.
A few streets over in the 700 block of College Avenue, there was another garage fire, burning out Alexandra Katchor’s garage and a car. Police were called to the scene around 5:40 a.m. No damage estimates are available.
Five minutes later, police were called to the 700 block of Mountain Avenue to another garage fire. Damage is estimated at around $100.
Earlier this morning, police were called to a garage fire in the 100 block of Danbury Bay in Crestview at 4:40 a.m. Damage is estimated at $60,000 and the fire was deemed accidental.
No one was hurt in the fires and the causes are under investigation, police said.
Fire crews were also called to a fire in the 800 block of Alverstone Street in the West End at around 12:40 a.m., where a couch was on fire.
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Updated on Monday, June 25, 2012 at 9:04 AM CDT: Updated and new headline
10:40 AM: Updated and new headline
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