Fire destroys St. Boniface housing unit

A six-unit housing development in St. Boniface was levelled by fire Tuesday.

The Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service was notified at 4:50 a.m. that the site on the 800 block of Archibald Street, near Elizabeth Road, was on fire, a city spokesperson said in an email. No injuries were reported.

Firefighters had the blaze under control by about 6:15 a.m. after using an aerial ladder to tackle the flames from above and protect nearby homes, the spokesperson said.

At the site, no signs were present to identify the construction company or developer. The fences of neighbouring homes were burned and rooftop shingles were singed. Ash and fire-retardant foam littered the lawns.

Gerry Lessard, who lives next door, said he was awakened by emergency lights. He went to the kitchen and saw the building engulfed in flames.

“I didn’t take a second look. I just ran, woke everyone up, grabbed the dog and went out of the house,” the 69-year-old said.

Lessard banged on the doors of three homes to alert his neighbours about the fire. Embers rained down on his home and backyard. He said his roof vents melted and windows cracked from the heat.

The fire scorched his fence, shed and gazebo.

“It’s a disaster,” he said, as he cleaned up the debris from his yard.

Construction crews were working on the six-unit complex on Monday, he said, adding construction began in June.

A firefighter said the top floor of the two-storey structure collapsed during the blaze.

Brenda Rowan, who said she lives two houses down from Lessard, heard him yelling about the fire. She said she felt “pure adrenaline” when she put on clothes and rushed outside.

“The fire was humongous. It’s was a big building so it was really scary,” she said.

Her husband grabbed a garden hose and started spraying their roof as embers flew through the air. The 55-year-old said she saw other neighbours doing the same to protect their homes. Her deck, roof and air conditioner were damaged by the fire.

The building is slated for emergency demolition, the city spokesperson said.

matthew.frank@winnipegfreepress.com