Vacant house burns, firefighter union raises bylaw concerns

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This article was published 29/11/2022 (756 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Charred wood, rubble and ash is what remains of a vacant two-story Manitoba Avenue home that burned early Wednesday.

The City of Winnipeg is the registered owner of the property, which has been the site of multiple fires this year.

“The city needs to be held to the same standards (as residents) when it comes to maintaining and securing vacant property,” said Tom Bilous, president of the United Fire Fighters of Winnipeg, the union that represents city firefighters.

“There’s been a lot of talk lately about dealing with the problem of vacant and derelict housing, and its way overdue to speed up the process of bringing in the wrecking ball.”

Bilous, a captain with the Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service, said in his 30 years of experience, the scourge of fires in empty homes consistently gets worse.

“It’s frustrating. There’s an extra element of danger and surprise… and it just puts firefighters, citizens and neighbours in severe danger,” he said.

“When you live in a house beside a derelict building, its got to be a terrible feeling knowing that the clock is ticking toward when that place is going to burn.”

WFPS responded to calls about the fire at 402 Manitoba Ave. around 2:40 a.m. When crews arrived, they were unable to enter the home, partly due to structural damage suffered during another fire April 12, the city said.

More than 12 hours later, crews remained on scene.

“When fires happen in vacant buildings, they burn for longer before being noticed, meaning the fire is often well-involved and the damage is extensive,” the WFPS said in an email statement.

“Fires in vacant structures put a strain on WFPS resources… Our dispatchers relocate crews to ensure coverage, but when we have large, extended incidents, response times to other incidents may be longer.”

The efforts temporarily closed sections of nearby streets and left the roadways ice-covered.

While nobody was reported injured in the blaze, occupants from neighbouring houses were forced to flee, with their homes suffering water damage.

Current bylaws prevent property owners from tearing down derelict buildings without plans to rebuild, creating a situation where neglected properties can litter city streets. They can become targets for people seeking shelter.

“They know that these buildings are derelict and nobody is going to be coming around to check on it, so that’s basically like flying a flag that says, ‘Hey, nobody is going to be bothering you,’” Bilous said.

Without an option to expedite the demolition process, such structures will continue to burn, the union leader said.

“Once a place has been determined derelict long-term… that needs to be torn down immediately. Quit waiting to stamp these plans.”

“When you live in a house beside a derelict building, its got to be a terrible feeling knowing that the clock is ticking toward when that place is going to burn.”–Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service

On Nov. 18, Coun. Cindy Gilroy (Daniel Mclntyre) raised a motion in an effort to have derelict buildings torn down faster, but amending the current bylaws may require collaborating with higher levels of government, which could slow down the process.

The WFPS had not confirmed the cause of the fire at the Manitoba Avenue site, but neighbours say it was frequented by squatters.

“The gate isn’t locked, so people go in and out of there all the time… They sit between the two houses and on the front steps,” said a woman who lives nearby.

“It’s honestly been aggravating living here.”

On Wednesday afternoon, city workers used heavy machinery to tear down what remained of the building. Signs on the front yard had advertised the building for sale by the City of Winnipeg.

A review of tax records at city hall confirmed the city has owned the property since 2019. The latest evaluation placed its value at $94,000.

There are at least 652 vacant buildings in Winnipeg, including 499 residential properties and 153 commercial, city spokesman Adam Campbell told the Free Press earlier this month.

On Wednesday, the city was unable to provide comment on the Manitoba Avenue fire, nor say how many derelict buildings it owns. A spokesperson said the city will respond later this week.

Fatal fire on Berkley Street

One person has died after Tuesday night garage fire in the Charleswood neighbourhood.

Firefighters were sent to the 700 block of Berkley Street at 9:14 p.m. and had the blaze under control in about 35 minutes, the city said Wednesday.

One person was found dead inside the detached garage; another was examined by paramedics on site.
Family of the deceased declined comment Wednesday, beyond saying they had lost a “very important and special member of the family.”

The cause of the fire is under investigation, but is believed to be accidental, the Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service said in a news release.

Crews also extinguished a blaze on the 500 block of St. Jean Baptiste Street early Wednesday.

Firefighters were sent to the 2 1/2-storey, multi-family home at 2:32 a.m., and declared the blaze under control at 2:54 a.m. No injuries were reported.

tyler.searle@freepress.mb.ca