The City of Winnipeg is asking residents to avoid an area in North Transcona where fire crews are responding to a large, fast-moving grass fire and evacuating some areas as required.
The fire is threatening homes and businesses located on Gunn Road, the Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service said in an email Monday.
Winnipeg police said the fire started around 2 p.m. All lanes are closed westbound on Gunn Road from the Perimeter Highway to Plessis Road.
A large cloud of thick smoke could be seen billowing from the area after 3 p.m.
Carol Barry, who works at Sandvik Mining close to where the fire started, said staff at the manufacturer were sent home following concerns about whether the fire was a result of a “chemical issue.”
Barry said she noticed the black smoke as she was working from her office desk, paired with hearing a loud bang and smaller sounds she described as “popping” coming from the fire.
She says she doesn’t think the fire will impact Sandvik Mining.
Former Manitoba firefighter Murray Rougeau, who was biking near the area shortly after the fire started, said there are about seven water pumpers on site. He said firefighters appear to be trying to prevent a chemical plant in the area from going up in flames and “have their hands full.”
“They have water, it’s just with this wind and everything, it makes it very difficult to contain,” he said.
Manitoba Hydro said in a social media post on X that it had cut power to approximately 1,000 customers in the area to ensure firefighters can safely put out the flames. As of 4 p.m., power had been restored to all but 10 customers through an alternate power supply.
School bus routes within the River East Transcona School Division have also been affected as a result of road closures, the division posted on X Monday afternoon.
