WFPS crews battle another vacant building fire Friday

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This article was published 10/01/2025 (440 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

A vacant North End home that had to be doused in May was back up in flames early Friday morning.

The Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service said it responded to the report of a blaze at a single-storey home in the 700 block of Burrows Avenue right before 5 a.m.

Fire crews encountered heavy smoke and flames when they arrived and attacked the fire from the outside before moving inside, declaring it under control around 6:30 a.m.

WFPS said no one was found in the home, and no injuries were reported. The fire is under investigation.

The home, which sustained significant smoke, fire and water damage, was previously damaged on May 6. No occupants were found inside, and no injuries were reported.

Friday’s fire was the latest in a spate of blazes that have plagued vacant properties in the city, including Holy Ascension Greek Orthodox Church, which was reduced to a burned-out heap on Monday.

WFPS officials told the Free Press that while they don’t have firmed-up numbers for 2024, anecdotally, it appears they have surpassed all previous years with the number of vacant building fires.

Meanwhile, early Friday morning, fire crews also fought a fire in an apartment building in the 300 block of Maryland.

Crews were called to the home at 3:54 a.m. and had the fire under control 15 minutes later. Residents self-evacuated, and there were no reports of injuries.