Fire closes stretch of Sherbrook Street in West End

Emergency crews have closed a section of Sherbrook Street Tuesday morning due to a fire at a multi-storey building that has also cut power to about 200 nearby residents, a Winnipeg fire chief says.

Firefighters went to the vacant three-storey building just before midnight and mounted a defensive attack after encountering smoke pouring from the building, the city said in a statement.

"We're in a defensive operation; it's unsafe to put our crews inside," district fire Chief Jack Robertson said at the scene around 7 a.m.

Sherbrook between Cumberland and Sargent avenues was shut down and traffic is being rerouted down Maryland Street.

Police expect that section of Sherbrook to be closed through the morning rush hour while crews work to extinguish the blaze and protect a neighbouring house from damage.

Robertson said there were about 30 firefighters in the area and 200 people nearby who will be without power in the morning.

The effort has been made more difficult by challenging weather conditions; it was19 C at 7 a.m., with a wind chill of32.

The area near the fire has become ice-covered and slippery, and firefighters are being rotated in and out to keep them safe, the city said.

No injuries have been reported.

The cause of the fire isn't yet known. Robertson said the plan is to bring more equipment, which will likely be needed to tear down the building.

Robertson expects crews will be at the scene for most of the day.

More from CBC Manitoba: