Residents of Transcona home that exploded are safe: police By: Chris Kitching and Malak Abas Posted: 12:36 PM CDT Thursday, Jun. 27, 2024 Last Modified: 6:20 PM CDT Thursday, Jun. 27, 2024 Updates

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A father and adult daughter who lived in a Transcona bungalow that exploded Wednesday were not home at the time, police confirmed Thursday, while the cause of the blast remained under investigation.

Winnipeg Police Service spokesman Const. Jason Michalyshen said the occupants were found safe sometime after the blast destroyed the house on Camrose Bay and significantly damaged nearby homes and garages.

“We’re really happy they weren’t in the home, and we’re really happy we’re not reporting any fatalities or serious injuries,” Michalyshen told reporters at the scene. ”That is definitely the silver lining.”

The father and daughter have been interviewed, he said.

People who live in homes on either side of the bungalow are unable to return home. Neighbour Karl Lent said his insurance provider told him he and his wife could be out for a year or longer.

“(Our house) is not fixable. It’s going to be torn down,” he said, after neighbours gathered at the police briefing. “I’m glad to see nobody was hurt.”

The major crimes unit is leading the investigation, which also involves the bomb unit and forensic officers, and the Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service.

Michalyshen would not say whether police suspect anything criminal regarding the cause of the explosion. The involvement of the bomb unit is standard in an “incredibly complex” investigation such as this, given its expertise, he said.

“We’ve had a catastrophic event in a residential neighbourhood, and we’re doing everything in our power to determine what was the cause,” the officer said. “Houses don’t just explode. There is a reason for it, and what that reason is yet to be determined.”

All potential causes will be explored, said Michaelyshen.

“Are we looking at gas or electrical? Are we looking at any other factors, potentially?” he said. “Those are all going to form part of our investigation. We’re going to be very thorough and methodical.”

Michalyshen expects the investigation to last months. Plainclothes detectives were in the neighbourhood Thursday.

Manitoba Hydro crews were finishing up their investigation at the scene Thursday, said spokesman Riley McDonald.

Only parts of the bungalow’s foundation were left intact when the blast happened at about 11:20 a.m. Wednesday, leaving a large debris field in the neighbourhood.

Other homes, garages or wooden decks caught fire.

Next-door to the bungalow, the home MaryAnn Lariviere shares with her family and dog, is charred by fire and significantly damaged.

She was the first neighbour to speak with the owner of the house where the explosion happened. She said he didn’t know what had happened to his home until he returned to it Wednesday evening and was met by police.

“When I saw him pull up yesterday around 5:30 (p.m.), I went up to his van and I said ‘Ernie, your house exploded,’ and he was taken aback,” she said.

Michalyshen said there was a “level of shock” for homeowner, when he spoke to police.

The most recent registered owner of 35 Camrose Bay, the site of the explosion, is Earnest Gerrard Prescotte, as per city records.

Lariviere’s entire family was out of their home when the explosion happened — an uncommon occurrence she’s grateful for now. Firefighters rescued their dog, Rocky, who was inside at the time but is unharmed.

She and her husband are staying at a nearby hotel and are being supported through their home insurance while they search for a rental home.

They have no idea how long it’ll be before they know when, or if, they’ll ever be able to return home, but she hopes they will one day.

“It’s so peaceful here, it’s a beautiful community, it’s so quiet… The people are great, everybody watches out for each other,” she said.

She’s still processing her “emotional, angry” feelings.

“Why? Why did this happen? I don’t know,” she said. “We have nowhere to go, really. No home. And it’s going to take a long time to get this figured out.”

Lent, whose home was also severely damaged, was blown off his feet while he was in his garage when the blast happened next door.

“I still feel the floor lifting,” he said. “We just want to know what happened.”

The experience has brought neighbours closer together, Lent said. He and his wife were forced to flee with very few of their belongings.

Lent said their insurance provider told them it will cover the cost of clothing and other essentials or emergency purchases in the interim, plus coverage of a hotel room for two weeks and temporary housing expenses after that.

“Insurance is looking after us right now. That’s a good thing,” he said. “They said it’s probably going to be a year or two before we get back in.”

Prior to the briefing, Michalyshen spoke to the group of residents to assure them there are no ongoing threats to the neighbourhood.

He told them police will find answers about what happened and supports are available via victim services, if needed.

The scene was still taped-off Thursday afternoon. However, police were preparing to let residents or tow-truck operators into the cordon to recover vehicles. A demolition crew was expected to begin clearing up debris.

Anyone with information or video is asked to call the major crimes unit at 204-986-6219 or Crime Stoppers anonymously at 204-786-8477 (TIPS) or winnipegcrimestoppers.org.

People who find debris in the area should also call major crimes detectives, said Michalyshen.

chris.kitching@freepress.mb.ca

malak.abas@freepress.mb.ca