Vacant home demolished after burning fourth time since August

Relief washed over Danielle Pahpasay after a vacant rooming house, which had been struck by arsonists three times, was razed Thursday.

“Finally. Wow. That’s good news,” said Danielle Pahpasay, who lives next door to 539 William Ave., which was ablaze again on Thursday. “The kids were pretty confused. They didn’t know what was going on — then they saw all the fire trucks.”

Pahpasay said firefighters knocked on her door around 12:30 a.m. and instructed her to gather her children and a few essentials and evacuate — the first time her family has had to leave despite the string of recent fires.

The two-and-a-half-storey house, vacant before the first fire on Aug. 18, also burned on Sept. 26 and Oct. 31.

Crews were called to the latest blaze at about 11:40 p.m. Wednesday and remained on scene throughout Thursday.

The Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service said firefighters launched a defensive attack because the structure was too dangerous to enter. No injuries were reported.

Neighbouring homes were evacuated and some roads were closed. A Winnipeg Transit bus was used to shelter evacuees. The cause of the fire is under investigation.

A large backhoe tore into the building at about noon, methodically bringing it down as smoke rose from the rubble. A massive section of the roof collapsed, sending a tremor through the ground as neighbours — including children — watched the demolition.

“I’m sure a lot of people in this neighbourhood are thinking ‘thank God,’” said a resident of a nearby high-rise.

“The fire department did one hell of a job containing it and keeping the two buildings next to it safe,” she said.

Several neighbours pointed to other boarded-up homes in the area and expressed concern that people who had been breaking into the William Avenue property would move to another derelict house.

“It’s just not safe,” the woman said. “There’s no pride in the area anymore, but it’s difficult to want to (have pride). What’s the point?”

Another neighbour said he saw eight people running from the burning home early Thursday.

“Good riddance,” he said. “That house has been a problem as long as I’ve been here. It’s nice to see it coming down.”

Pahpasay had described the property as a frequent target of break-ins. She was worried about the safety of her family.

After the Oct. 31 blaze, city officials said they were stepping up efforts to combat arson amid growing concern about the risks to nearby residents and businesses. At a news conference — held on the same day firefighters battled fires in five vacant buildings before noon — officials outlined prevention measures.

From Jan. 1 to Sept 30, the city conducted 9,616 inspections of vacant buildings, ordered 378 properties to be securely boarded, removed 372 tonnes of dumped material and debris, and investigated 177 arson cases.

Arson has also plagued local businesses.

Six suspected restaurant arsons were reported in recent months, including last month’s fire at Boujee Restaurant & Bar on Main Street and the August blaze at Johnny G’s on McDermot Avenue.

A pair of fires devastated part of the Exchange Event Centre on Bannatyne Avenue.

In July, Commonwealth Kitchen and Bar on Main Street, Thida’s Thai Restaurant on Donald Street, and Mae Sunee Thai Cuisine on Erin Street were all targeted in suspected arsons.

Several business owners reported being threatened in an extortion racket and said their buildings were set on fire after they refused to pay extortionists.

Police made 23 arson arrests in that time period; some suspects were charged with multiple fires, said Winnipeg Police Service Insp. Jen McKinnon, who noted fires have become “an alternative weapon.”

scott.billeck@freepress.mb.ca