Winnipeg, MB – At 11:30 p.m. on Tuesday, March 21, 2023, the Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service responded to reports of a fire in a hotel in the 700 block of Main Street.
When crews got to the scene, they found light smoke in the building and located a fire. They fought the fire from inside the building, declaring it under control at 11:45 p.m. Damage was contained to the suite where the fire originated.
Crews ventilated smoke from the building and residents were able to remain in their suites. No injuries were reported.
Damage estimates are not available. Preliminary observations suggest the fire was caused by the improper disposal of a cigarette butt.
These types of fires can be prevented by following these safety tips:
- Smoking material should always be extinguished in a proper ashtray or deep metal container.
- Cigarette butts should never be thrown from balconies, car windows, or disposed of near any vegetation such as grass, leaves or brush.
- Never use a plant pot as an ashtray. Potting soil is a mix of dirt and a number of combustible organic materials such as peat moss, shredded wood and minerals which are combustible. When a butt is put into a planter, it can smolder for several hours. Once the container heats up, it can crack, giving the smoldering material oxygen and the opportunity to spread to other combustibles such as decks, balconies, walls, etc.