Winnipeg crews battle 3 fires Friday night, early Saturday

Winnipegcrews were kept busy Friday night and early Saturday morning with three fires at homes across the city.

The firststarted at a home in the Charleswood neighbourhood around9:45 p.m. Friday, the city said in a release.

Heavy flames were already coming out of the garage at the home on Ghent Cove, just off Mayfield Crescent between Eldridge and Grant Avenues, Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service District Chief Dick Vlaming said Friday.

The fire then spread tothe home, Vlaming said.

"It went up to the second floor and eventually worked its way through the roof," he said.

The occupantof the home got out with two family dogs before fire crews arrived, the city said.The fire was under control by 10:35 p.m.

"Crews did a fantastic job knocking down the fire quick and saving property," Vlaming said.

No damage estimate is available yet. The cause of the fire is under investigation.

Crews were called to a second firejust over an hour after responding to thefirst, at around 10:50 p.m., the release says.

The fire broke out in a vacant 1-storey home onManitoba Avenue near Salter Street, in the William Whyte neighbourhood.

When crews arrived, they found flames coming out of the house

That fire was under control by 11:20 p.m., the city's release said. Nobody was found inside the house and no injuries were reported.

The cause of the fire is under investigation. No damage estimateis available.

Smoking materials likely started balcony fire: city

Crews were then called to a fire in a condominium complex in Bridgwaterjust before 2:40a.m. Saturday.

When they got there, they found a fire on the balcony of a suite in the building onPark West Drive, near Bison Drive. The fire was under control roughly 20 minutes later, the city said.

Crews got the only person in the suite out safely and no injuries were reported.

The fire is believed to have been started accidentally, due to the improper disposal of smoking materials. The city is reminding the public butts should be put in a deep, wide metal container filled partway with sand or water.

If you're putting them in the trash, they should be doused with water first. And don't put them in outdoor planters at all, the city advised.

"Potting soil is a mix of dirt and a number of combustible organic materials such as peat moss, shredded wood and minerals. When a butt is put into a planter, it can smolder for several hours," the city wrote.

"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."