City urges Winnipeggers to help prevent garage fires after series of blazes

The City of Winnipeg is urging residents to take precautions after firefighters responded to a series of garage fires this weekend.

Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service responded to fires in garages on St. Martin Blvd., Downing Street and Inkster Blvd. within the span of 24 hours, the city said in a release Sunday.

All the fires are still under investigation, but the city says residents should be taking steps to prevent them from happening.

WFPS deputy chief Jay Shaw said that while no injuries were reported, these types of fires could be serious.

"We do see an increase in garage fires over the winter months," Shaw said.

"What we see primarily is people using heaters, extension cords and possibly improperly storing … gasoline and other flammable contents inside the garage."

The city says residents should never plug a vehicle into a block heater inside a garage, whether it's detached or attached. They should also inspect block heaters and extension cords for damage before plugging in their vehicles, and avoid overloading extension cord or using them as permanent wiring.

People should not run cords through walls or ceilings or otherwise cover them, as that can trap heat. They should also be kept out of water or snow.

"I don't know about you, but I've done it before where I pull away with the extension cord still plugged into my block heater and damage my extension cord," Shaw said. "We got to make sure we replace those extension cords and we're inspecting them frequently."

Space heaters should be at least three feet (about a metre) away from furniture, curtains or anything that can burn, the city said. The heaters should be plugged directly into a wall outlet, and turned off when people leave a room or go to sleep.

Sunday's release also said firefighters quickly brought a fire under control on a 10-storey high-rise apartment on Carlton Street, between Assiniboine and York avenues, Saturday evening. No injuries were reported, and damage estimates are not available.