Residents evacuated, six taken to hospital, in overnight fire at North End seniors facility – Winnipeg Free Press


Six seniors were taken to hospital and about 25 were assessed by paramedics after a fire broke out in a North End residence early Thursday.

The Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service said many residents with disabilities were trapped in their suites by heavy smoke and flames inside the St. Josephat Selo-Villa on McGregor Street.

The residents were evacuated by firefighters at 1:20 a.m.

All the seniors who were taken to hospital were in stable condition.

The fire was declared under control just after 2 a.m., with most of the damage contained in a third-floor suite. There was smoke and water damage in other parts of the building.

Winnipeg Transit drove buses to the scene for the evacuated residents to stay warm in the bitter cold temperatures.

The city’s social services team went to the scene to assist 15 residents who will need to temporarily stay elsewhere .

On Thursday morning, the McGregor Street sidewalk outside the home was coated with centimetres-thick layers of ice and sand.

A third-storey window was broken out and ice coated the side of the building, where other windows were open to air out the smell of smoke.

Milagros Plested, a 75-year-old resident of the building, heard a loud bang before the alarm blared.

She and others evacuated down the stairwells, parts of which became icy.

“It was really tough,” she said of the slippery stairs. “I’m just praying this never happens again.”

Her eighth-floor suite and the rest of the building still smells like smoke, she said.

“I’m a person who’s worried about other people,” Plested said.

She planned to make coffee for the other residents in the building who were able to return to their suites.

Firefighters believe the blaze was caused by an electrical issue. The fire service said it does not yet have a dollar estimate of the damage.

Twitter: @erik_pindera

erik.pindera@freepress.mb.ca

Erik Pindera
Reporter

Erik Pindera reports for the city desk, with a particular focus on crime and justice.



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