Firefighters arrived at a hotel in central Winnipeg shortly after 7 p.m. on Saturday and quickly gained control over the flames, which had already been mostly extinguished by the building’s sprinkler system.
Everyone in the 700 block of Main Street was able to leave the building before the teams arrived. Paramedics evaluated one person, who was then transported to the hospital in unstable condition.
Four and a half hours later, the Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service reacted to a second incident on Main Street. Crews discovered heavy smoke at the building in the 1200 block when they arrived at 11:57 p.m. The occupants of the building had already left.
Firefighters determined it was unsafe to enter the building and opted for a defensive strategy, bringing the flames under control around 1:30 a.m., an hour and a half after their arrival.
Residents are advised to be careful in the area, as the water used to extinguish the fire has frozen, creating slippery surfaces.
Both fires are still being investigated.
