Primary Country (Mandatory)

United States

Other Country (Optional)

Set News Language for United States

Primary Language (Mandatory)
English
Other Language[s] (Optional)
No other language available

Set News Language for World

Primary Language (Mandatory)
English
Other Language(s) (Optional)

Set News Source for United States

Primary Source (Mandatory)
CNN
Other Source[s] (Optional)

Set News Source for World

Primary Source (Mandatory)
AajTak
Other Source(s) (Optional)
  • Countries
    • India
    • United States
    • Qatar
    • Germany
    • China
    • Canada
    • World
  • Categories
    • National
    • International
    • Business
    • Entertainment
    • Sports
    • Special
    • All Categories
  • Available Languages for United States
    • English
  • All Languages
    • English
    • Hindi
    • Arabic
    • German
    • Chinese
    • French
  • Sources
    • India
      • AajTak
      • NDTV India
      • The Hindu
      • India Today
      • Zee News
      • NDTV
      • BBC
      • The Wire
      • News18
      • News 24
      • The Quint
      • ABP News
      • Zee News
      • News 24
    • United States
      • CNN
      • Fox News
      • Al Jazeera
      • CBSN
      • NY Post
      • Voice of America
      • The New York Times
      • HuffPost
      • ABC News
      • Newsy
    • Qatar
      • Al Jazeera
      • Al Arab
      • The Peninsula
      • Gulf Times
      • Al Sharq
      • Qatar Tribune
      • Al Raya
      • Lusail
    • Germany
      • DW
      • ZDF
      • ProSieben
      • RTL
      • n-tv
      • Die Welt
      • Süddeutsche Zeitung
      • Frankfurter Rundschau
    • China
      • China Daily
      • BBC
      • The New York Times
      • Voice of America
      • Beijing Daily
      • The Epoch Times
      • Ta Kung Pao
      • Xinmin Evening News
    • Canada
      • CBC
      • Radio-Canada
      • CTV
      • TVA Nouvelles
      • Le Journal de Montréal
      • Global News
      • BNN Bloomberg
      • Métro
MoreBack to News Headlines
Number of Winnipeg vacant building fires in 2025 'frustrating,' but not shocking: Firefighters union head

Number of Winnipeg vacant building fires in 2025 'frustrating,' but not shocking: Firefighters union head

CBC
Monday, January 13, 2025 6:32 AM GMT

There have been at least six fires at vacant buildings in Winnipeg so far in the new year, all of which were properties that have previously burned before. 

Some of those calls resulted in the buildings needing emergency demolition and in one incident, a firefighter was sent to hospital after responding to a blaze at a vacant building. 

"It's frustrating, frankly it doesn't come as a surprise," said United Firefighters of Winnipeg president Nick Kasper.

"In 2024 we faced an average of 20 vacant building fires per month, that's an increase of 20 times over the last decade and the trend is obviously continuing to increase into 2025.

"It is frustrating, but it's not a shock to us," he said. 

On Sunday, Elsa Doucette stood outside her Aikins Street home remarking that it's been more quiet ever since the vacant, three-storey apartment building across the street on Mountain Avenue was demolished following a fire during the first week of January. 

"Every day there was sirens," said Doucette. "Every, every day. Fire trucks every second day, ambulances, it didn't stop."

The blaze at the building on Jan. 3 was at least the fourth there since 2022.

Doucette said she's glad nobody got hurt in the fire, but is glad to see the building gone.

"It's been an eyesore for an ongoing amount of time," she said. "A hazard, if you would say." 

Those thoughts were echoed by Daniel Asrat, the vice-chair of the parish council for the Ethiopian Orthodox Church, which is right beside where the Mountain Avenue apartment complex recently stood.

Asrat said the fires there made people "on guard" and not knowing when the building would go up in flames next was stressful. 

"You don't know what's going to happen tomorrow [or if] you have a church or not," he said. "You don't know what's going to happen so that was the hardest … thing for us." 

The former Mountain Avenue apartment complex is among several vacant buildings that have gone up in flames again this year.

Read full story on CBC
Share this story on:-
Run 3 Space | Play Space Running GamePlay Run 3, the ultimate space tunnel running game with 300+ challenging levels!Adv.
Traffic Jam 3D | Online Racing GameTraffic Jam 3D is a game where you’ll be driving through heavy traffic.Adv.
Duck Hunt | Play Old Classic GamePlay the classic 1984 light gun shooter game Duck Hunt on your browser.Adv.
More Related News
Toronto man had to fight GoFundMe to get paid after organizer gambled away funds for his brother's funeral

In the aftermath of his younger brother's sudden death last year, Allan Oliver says he was surprised when a family friend set up a GoFundMe to help pay for the funeral.

Bay du Nord FPSO contract will be awarded in months but future undecided, says Equinor

While the future of the stalled Bay du Nord project has yet to be decided, an Equinor Canada representative says there are positive signs for the project's future, including a major contract that the oil giant will award in the next few months.

Mining, energy companies say hydro storage project could be template for N.S. mines

Halifax councillors have heard new details about a proposed hydro energy storage project at a former gold mine in the municipality.

Wildfires in West cast smoky — and potentially risky — haze over N.B.

New Brunswickers might have noticed a haze in the sky over the last couple of days.

Quebec floats cutting services for non-permanent residents

Quebec Immigration Minister Jean-François Roberge said he isn't ruling out the possibility of cutting services for non-permanent residents in the province if the federal government fails to halve its annual immigration targets.

Sask. wildfires have already burned 900K hectares of forest so far this year: SPSA

Wildfires continue to rage out of control in northern Saskatchewan, and have now burned almost 1,000,000 hectares of the province's forest so far this year and forced thousands of people from their homes.

Nearly half of northern Alberta community destroyed as wildfires flare

As Albertans forced out by wildfires are being allowed to return home, other evacuees are learning their homes have been lost to the flames. 

Vancouver man arrested after driving into Pacific Coliseum entrance during Cirque du Soleil show, police say

A 30-year-old man has been arrested after driving a vehicle into the Pacific Coliseum on Thursday night, say Vancouver police.

Charlottetown would be 'better served' with 4 firefighters at 1st response, says union

The union that represents professional firefighters in P.E.I.'s capital city is joining a campaign that calls for a minimum of four people per truck to initially respond in emergency situations.

Anishnawbe Health Toronto celebrates grand opening of new Indigenous health centre

A Indigenous organization in Toronto is celebrating the grand opening of a new health care facility that brings together traditional Indigenous healing and Western medicine under one roof.

Efforts are underway to make Dawson City, Yukon, more accessible — but it's not easy

To many residents and visitors, the unpaved streets, crooked boardwalks and historic buildings of Dawson City, Yukon, are a big part of the Gold Rush town's charm — but for people with mobility issues, they can also be a lot of trouble.

Carney and Trump are holding private talks to drop tariffs

Prime Minister Mark Carney and U.S. President Donald Trump are having discussions out of the spotlight to reach a trade deal and lift tariffs.

'That raised a lot of alarms': Convicted killer's DNA found at crime scene, murder trial hears

Drops of blood found near the body of a murdered woman came back matching the DNA of a convicted killer, a Calgary judge heard Thursday as Christopher Dunlop's trial entered its second day. 

Parking Slot | Free Parking GamePlay Parking Slot, the best online 3D car driving and parking game.Adv.
Slope Ball Run - Play OnlineSlope Game takes you on an exciting journey of a ball on special paths.Adv.
Battle of Stoney Creek win over the U.S. in 1813 offers lesson about peace, say re-enactment organizers

Despite the muskets, bayonets and firing cannons, organizers of the annual Battle of Stoney Creek re-enactment — which takes place this weekend in Hamilton — see the event as a celebration of peace. 

Windsor couple joins global march to Gaza border to protest war

A Windsor Ont., couple is preparing to make the journey to the Middle East to join a peaceful global protest to stand in solidarity with the Palestinian people. 

Alberta conservationists, sheep outfitter call for stiffer poaching penalties after 4 men fined $26K

Four men who illegally killed bighorn sheep in western Alberta were fined $26,000 combined and each received one-year hunting bans — penalties some say are not steep enough. 

'We're keeping a couple bags packed': Weyakwin, Sask., residents start returning after evac order lifted

Lisa Powder and her great grandchildren were among the first Weyakwin residents to return home after fleeing a wildfire that burned dangerously close to the northern Saskatchewan community.

Neskantaga First Nation calls for more federal support after community evacuation cut short

Chief Gary Quisses says Neskantaga First Nation's evacuation lasted 46 days — but he wasn't ready to bring his community members home.

Man dead after house fire in Scarborough: police

A man is dead after a house fire in Scarborough on Friday morning, Toronto police said. 

Grab your popcorn! A microcinema just opened in Cambridge

They call it the big screen, but this movie theatre experience is pretty small.

Charlottetown high school's rock concert puts musical talent and Canadian pride on display

Students at Charlottetown Rural High School are preparing to take the stage at the P.E.I. Brewing Company on Friday for their School of Rock 2025 Showcase. 

Fire at Yellowknife apartment that displaced public housing tenants caused by smoking

Improper disposal of smoking materials was found to be the cause of a fire that displaced tenants of public housing from a Yellowknife apartment building in March. 

Man who considered assisted death after bedsore tells coroner's inquiry 'you have to fight' for care

Among the dozens of people who testified at a coroner's inquiry into the death of Normand Meunier, Claude Labelle may be the only one who really understands what he went through. 

Toronto's getting hotter. Experts say a chief heat officer could help the city adapt

As Toronto braces for another hotter than usual summer, some climate policy experts and advocates say a chief heat officer could help the city adapt to extreme temperatures faster. 

Western University to get 200 of province's new teacher college spaces

The Ontario government's move to add 2,600 teacher college spaces will open 200 new entry slots to Western University's education program over the next two years. 

© 2008 - 2025 Webjosh  |  News Archive  |  Privacy Policy  |  Contact Us