One dead in Vivian Avenue duplex fire

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This article was published 21/02/2024 (564 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

One person is dead after a fire broke out inside a duplex in Old St. Vital early Wednesday morning.

Firefighters were called to the two-storey home on Vivian Avenue, just east of St. Mary’s Road, shortly after 4:15 a.m.

Crews extinguished the blaze within 45 minutes and found the body while searching one of the units, the Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service said in a news release.

The cause of the fire is under investigation. The damage was contained to the suite where the fire started, the WFPS said.

The WFPS did not release any details about the deceased individual.

Neighbours said the duplex unit was occupied by a man who lived alone in one of the units and owned the building. They said the second unit was not occupied.

A neighbour, who declined to give his name, said he was awakened by someone banging on his door shortly after emergency services arrived.

“As soon as I got out the back door, I saw smoke billowing out of the house,” he said. “I knew it was bad. My first thought was about (the owner).”

He said the duplex owner is in his 90s and has lived in the property for decades, receiving few visitors.

“He was very private. He was a very proud, independent guy,” said the neighbour.

On Tuesday, some residents of a three-storey apartment building in St. James were displaced by a fire.

Crews were sent to the building in the 3500 block of Portage Avenue at about 12:20 p.m., the WFPS said.

The fire was brought under control about 50 minutes later.

Some residents were home and were asked to remain there while crews put the fire out, the WFPS said. No injuries were reported.

Some residents of the Portage Avenue building were not able to return to their suites because of smoke, fire and water damage, the WFPS said.

The City of Winnipeg’s emergency social services team was called to help displaced residents find temporary accommodations.

Damage estimates for the fires were not yet available.

fpcity@freepress.mb.ca