News briefs for Monday, May 8, 2023

House fire on Alexander Avenue

8:24 AM

Crews extinguished a house fire on Alexander Avenue on Sunday.

Firefighters were sent to the one-storey home in the 300 block of Alexander at 4:36 p.m., went inside and declared the fire under control 25 minutes later.

Everyone inside the home had evacuated before crews arrived at the scene, the Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service said in a news release Sunday night.

The City of Winnipeg’s emergency social services team helped the home’s residents find temporary accommodations.

Testing of flood-affected wells free

8:29 AM

The provincial government is waiving fees for the testing of private wells and cisterns affected by flooding.

The province is fully subsidizing the cost of testing until Aug. 31.

The free testing is available at Horizon Lab Ltd. in Winnipeg. Well and cistern owners can call the laboratory at 204-488-2035 for information on sample collection, sample shipping or test results.

No injuries in Cliffwood Drive house fire

10:28 AM

A fire broke out in a one-storey home in the 0-100 block of Cliffwood Drive early Monday morning.

Fire crews arrived at 6:37 a.m., attacking the fire from the inside of the home, and declared it under control at 7:21 a.m.

There were no injuries and the cause of the fire is being investigated.

Bombers sign O’Shea Jr.

2:23 PM

The Winnipeg Blue Bombers signed five players on Monday, most notably Canadian receiver Michael O’Shea.

O’Shea, who’s coming off of two seasons in the British Columbia Football Conference with the Okanagan Sun, is head coach Mike O’Shea’s son.

The coach’s son had 28 receptions for 483 yards and eight touchdowns last season, adding another seven catches for 164 yards and a TD in the playoffs.

The team also signed four Americans in quarterback Tyrrell Pigrome, receivers Otis Lanier and Matt Cole and defensive end/long-snapper Damian Jackson.

RCMP seek tips after car set on fire in RM of St. Andrews

2:37 PM

A St. Andrews family was forced to move a burning car away from their home after it was set on fire in a case RCMP are investigating as arson.

Two people in a truck approached the home on Liss Road in the rural municipality of St. Andrews at around 3 a.m. Monday, and video surveillance shows them parking in the driveway pouring what appears to be liquid accelerant on two parked vehicles, and starting a fire. Both suspects then fled.

Three people who came across the fire an hour later alerted the residents in the home, two adults and three children. The homeowner and a neighbour dragged the one vehicle engulfed in flames away from the home to prevent the fire from spreading.

The RCMP are now seeking anyone who has any information on the incident.

“This arson is very concerning as there was a family, including young children, asleep in the home when the fire was started. It could have easily spread to the residence”, said Corporal Julie Courchaine of the Manitoba RCMP in a statement.

If you have any information, call Selkirk RCMP at 204-482-1222,  Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-8477 or submit a secure tip online at www.manitobacrimestoppers.com.

Woman charged after police officer confronted with cleaver

4:13 PM

A Winnipeg police officer was confronted with a cleaver after he spotted an intoxicated suspect damaging vehicles Sunday afternoon, police say.

A traffic officer was parked on the 300 block of Notre Dame Avenue at around 4:30 p.m., when he heard someone screaming and the sound of something being smashed, police say, before he saw a suspect nearby.

Police allege the suspect confronted the officer with a knife, refusing to drop it, before the officer used a Taser electroshock weapon on her. The suspect then threw the knife to the ground, but kicked, punched and bit the officer as she was being arrested.

Police say the officer was injured in the process. The suspect was also involved in another weapons call earlier in the day, police say.

A 26-year-old woman from Winnipeg has been charged with a slew of offences including assaulting a peace officer with a weapon. She was detained.