Vacant apartment building burns for fifth time

By: Free Press staff Posted: 4:43 PM CST Wednesday, Jan. 17, 2024

A vacant Winnipeg apartment building went up in flames Wednesday morning for the fifth time.

Read this article for free:

or

Already have an account? Log in here »

To continue reading, please subscribe:

*Billed as $4.00 plus GST every four weeks. After 24 weeks, price increases to the regular rate of $19.00 plus GST every four weeks. Offer available to new and qualified returning subscribers only. Cancel any time.

*Billed as $19 plus GST every four weeks. Cancel any time.

A vacant Winnipeg apartment building went up in flames Wednesday morning for the fifth time.

Read unlimited articles for free today:

or

Already have an account? Log in here »

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 17/01/2024 (598 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

A vacant Winnipeg apartment building went up in flames Wednesday morning for the fifth time.

City firefighters were called to 485 Furby St. at 7:50 a.m., and declared the blaze under control less than two hours later.

There were no injuries reported and no occupants found by crews at the scene. The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

JESSICA LEE / FREE PRESS FILES
There have been four previous fires at 485 Furby St. in as many years: in March 2020, July 2022, September 2022 and May 2023. — JESSICA LEE / FREE PRESS FILES

There have been four previous fires at 485 Furby St. in as many years: in March 2020, July 2022, September 2022 and May 2023.

There have been four previous fires at this building in as many years: in March 2020, July 2022, September 2022 and May 2023.

In May, the building was used as the site of a news event held by the City of Winnipeg to announce a crackdown on vacant building management, including proposals to improve security standards for buildings repeatedly set on fire or used by squatters and rules prohibiting vacant building owners from storing vehicles or combustible materials on the property.

As 485 Furby St. burned, a house fire broke out on Magnus Avenue.

Crews were called to a single-family bungalow on 600 block at 7:35 a.m., after an off-duty firefighter who had just finished a night shift reported the fire.

An aerial ladder truck, along with both interior and defensive fire attacks, were used to bring the fire under control. Crews remained on scene into Wednesday afternoon putting out hot spots.

The cold weather caused additional issues for firefighters, with slippery conditions caused by ice. Firefighters were rotated in and out of the scene to give them breaks from the frigid temperatures, the City of Winnipeg said.

There were no injuries and the home is considered a complete loss.