News briefs for Friday, July 7, 2023

Vacant house, homes struck by lightning catch fire

10:27 AM

Two Winnipeg buildings were set on fire by lightning strikes Thursday evening.

Firefighters attended a home in the 0-100 block of Granada Crescent at around 7:05 p.m. and the fire was declared under control at 7:30 p.m. There were no reported injuries.

A bungalow in the 0-100 block of Walden Crescent caught fire at 7:31 p.m. One firefighter was injured at the scene, but it was minor and they did not require hospitalization. All residents were out of the house at the time of the incident but two cats were located at the scene.

On Friday, a vacant home in the 400 block of Maryland Street that had been damaged by a fire before went up in flames again.

The house was deemed unsafe to enter when crews arrived at 4:14 a.m., possibly due to structural issues caused by the previous fire. The fire was declared under control at 4:56 a.m.

Woman killed in head-on crash near Gladstone

10:53 AM

A 53-year-old Winnipeg woman was killed in a head-on crash east of Gladstone on Thursday morning.

RCMP said the woman was driving a westbound SUV on Highway 16 when it veered into the eastbound lane and collided with a tractor-trailer near Provincial Road 350 at about 10:30 a.m.

An 18-year-old man who was a passenger in the SUV suffered minor injuries, said police.

The 63-year-old semi-truck driver, who was from Plumas, was not injured.

Woman charged in Waywayseecappo homicide

12:42 PM

A woman has been charged with a slaying at the Waywayseecappo First Nation.

RCMP said on Friday Talisa Brandon, 25, had been charged with manslaughter.

Brandon will appear in Brandon court next week.

RCMP said the body of a 23-year-old man was found with serious injuries outside a Waywayseecappo residence on July 5 at about 1:30 a.m.

Point Douglas fire probed as arson

12:58 PM

A massive fire that destroyed an industrial building in Point Douglas this week is being investigated as arson, Winnipeg police confirmed Friday.

The blaze at Sutherland Avenue and Maple Street North was reported at about 5 a.m. Tuesday.

A police spokesman said the major crimes unit is investigating the cause.

Man killed, woman injured in rollover

2:29 PM

A 48-year-old man was killed and a 45-year-old woman seriously injured in a rollover near Cowan in western Manitoba on Thursday night.

Swan River RCMP said both occupants, who were from Briggs Spur, were thrown from a vehicle when it went off Highway 10 and rolled shortly before 8:30 p.m.

Police are investigating the cause of the crash.

Teacher charged with child pornography offences

2:32 PM

A 59-year-old Winnipeg man who police say had been working as a teacher for about 15 years has been charged with child pornography offences.

Officers began investigating in January, after sexual abuse images were uploaded to an IP address in the city.

Police found images and seized electronic storage devices when they searched a Seven Oaks home Wednesday.

Alan Lindsay Veness, who had worked in schools in Winnipeg and other parts of Manitoba, was charged with possession of and accessing child pornography, said police.