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A fire breaks out on the roof of the Stradbrook highrise
Highrise catches fire, injuring two and displacing residents
An 18-storey highrise roof caught fire Thursday evening, forcing dozens of residents to evacuate. Two people were taken to hospital.
At 7 p.m., fire crews responded to a two-alarm call regarding a “heavy fire” on the roof of 221 Stradbrook Ave., known as The Spot at East Village, according to deputy fire chief Scott Wilkinson.
By 7:45 p.m., firefighters had climbed 18 flights of stairs due to no elevator access.
Wilkinson said Thursday night they are “hoping for a positive outcome” for one person who was taken to the hospital with smoke inhalation.
An unidentified firefighter was also transported to a hospital in stable condition, according to a news release.
Tenants gathered outside the building, east of Donald Street, with babies, toddlers, and pets, including cats in carriers and dogs on leashes.
There were some residents in tears as they waited to hear about their pets and figure out what to do that night.
The 16th floor resident Adam Minaker was worried about his cat. He was at the gym when the fire started. A friend sent him a video and he rushed to the scene.
The 10-year-old cat was missed by him.
Minaker said he has lived in the building since November and often experiences false alarms, but he had never seen anything like Thursday’s fire.
According to the news release, Animal Services Agency is also responding and assisting with the retrieval of animals from suites.
The city was engulfed in black smoke shortly after 7 p.m.
Around 8:30 p.m., fire officials gathered residents to let them know it will take a while for them to return to their suites. Residents were instructed to stay with friends, call their tenant insurance provider, or ask social services for help.
Wilkinson said it was too early to determine the cause of the fire, but the roof and HVAC equipment on the roof suffered heavy damage.
According to the news release, the elevator system was inoperable and the building suffered extensive water damage. Firefighters are helping residents retrieve essential items from their suites as a result of the damage. Residents have not been able to return to their suites due to the damage.
As noted in the news release, Winnipeg’s Emergency Social Services (ESS) team also responded to the scene to help displaced residents find temporary housing.
The building owner may have units available in another building for displaced tenants.
There will be a significant cost associated with the damage.
Investigations are underway to determine the cause of the fire.
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