Firefighters battle Portage Avenue blaze in frigid temperatures
Portage Avenue at Langside Street closed in both directions as firefighters work to contain fire
Fire crews are struggling to put out a massive blaze at Portage Avenue and Langside Street on Wednesday as extreme cold temperatures have frozen hoses and water lines.
Firefighters haven't entered the building at the corner of Portage Avenue and Langside Street because of fears it will collapse, Scott Wilkinson, assistant fire chief for the Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service, told reporters on Wednesday afternoon.
They "were unable to make entry … due to the nature of the fire and it eventually moving through the roof. That's where our aerial ladders were attacking it right now," Wilkinson said.
Frigid temperatures have also made it necessary to rotate staff out of the cold, Wilkinson said. As of early Wednesday afternoon, the temperature had dropped to –23 C and it felt colder than –30 with the wind chill.
"We are fighting a lot of issues with the temperatures. We've had freezing lines, freezing hoses, apparatus breaking due to the cold," Wilkinson said.
Another fire on Pritchard Avenue is also affecting firefighter resources, he said.
The historic building, which houses the West End BIZ office, a doughnut shop, a nightclub and a convenience store, is expected to be a total loss.
Joe Kornelsen, executive director of the West End BIZ, said staff were in the building Wednesday morning when they heard the fire alarm and evacuated.
Other than the alarm, there was no indication there was a fire.
He struggled to find the words to describe what it was like to see the building go up in flames.
WATCH | Raw footage of firefighters as they battle Portage Avenue blaze:
"It's hard to describe," he said. "It's been a second home in many ways, like workplaces can be for folks, so to watch it go up in flames is pretty tough to see."
The Kirkwood Block was built in 1912 and was the former site of the popular Club Morocco.
Kornelsen said it's not only a loss for him and his staff, but for the community, too.
"These are the kinds of buildings that give the West End its flavour, the kind of early 20th-century brick facade building," Kornelsen said.
Wilkinson said crews are focusing on preventing the fire from spreading to nearby buildings.
"[The building] is right up against other buildings that we have a number of crews protecting as best we can from that side," he said.
University of Winnipeg officials said McFeetors Hall, the student residence building across the street, is being evacuated as a safety precaution.
Commuters should expect delays during Wednesday afternoon's rush hour, as Portage Avenue at Langside Street remains closed in both directions.
Cars are being redirected and residents should continue to avoid the area.
The cause of the fire is unknown and there are no reported injuries. Crews first responded to reports of a fire in the two-storey mixed-use building around 9:30 a.m.
Winnipeg police are assisting with traffic.
