One hospitalized after early morning fire in North End apartment

One person is in hospital following an early morning apartment fire in the city’s North End.

The blaze broke out just before 1 a.m. in a 12-storey high-rise apartment building in the 100 block of Powers Street. 

Heavy, thick black smoke had filled the building when crews arrived. Firefighters quickly located the fire in one of the suites and attacked it. 

They were able to get it under control about half an hour later. 

Most residents evacuated before crews arrived. Others had to be helped by firefighters. A Winnipeg Transit bus was dispatched to the scene to act as temproary shelter for the evacuees.

Several of the residents were assessed at the scene by paramedics. One person was taken to hospital in stable condition.

The fire was contained, for the most part, to the suite where the fire started. However, some other nearby suites sustained water damage. 

The cause of the fire remains under investigation.