May 19th Downtown Brandon Fire Response

May 19, 2018

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Brandon, MB – The City of Brandon’s emergency response team wishes to provide an update on its continuing response after a series of significant structure fires broke out in downtown Brandon this afternoon.

Members with Brandon Fire & Emergency Services responded to an initial fire at the Christie’s Office Plus building in the 700-block of Pacific Avenue during the noon hour. It is believed that embers from that structure fire drifted and started subsequent fires at two additional buildings on the 500-block of Pacific Avenue (Massey Manor and Collyer’s Sales and Service/Brandon Boxing Club/Kazic Kontracting), and later to a building on the corner of 5th Street and Rosser Avenue housing a beer vendor and vacant nightclub.

Occupants of all impacted buildings were evacuated. The City of Brandon was assisted by The Salvation Army, Canadian Red Cross and the Province of Manitoba with the care and registration of in excess of 100 evacuees at a local hotel.

With assistance from Manitoba Hydro, the Office of the Fire Commissioner and mutual aid from the Souris, Wawanesa and CFB Shilo Fire Departments, Brandon Fire & Emergency Services actively worked to extinguish the fires. The Christie’s Office Plus building was destroyed, as was the beer vendor and vacant nightclub structure, while the other impacted structures received substantial damage. As of late Saturday evening, Brandon Fire & Emergency Services crews remained on site at all fire locations and were still actively working to extinguish flare-ups at the Collyer’s Sales and Service/Brandon Boxing Club/Kazic Kontracting building.

As of late Saturday evening, several dozen Manitoba Hydro customers in the immediate area of the fires remained without power, with Manitoba Hydro indicating power to those customers would only be restored when their crews could safely access the area.

No fatalities or injuries have been reported relating to these fires or the response to these fires.  A preliminary investigation into the cause of the initial fire is underway, but a cause is unknown at this time.

The City of Brandon’s Emergency Response Team wishes to extend its heartfelt gratitude to all authorities and organizations that have assisted with its fire response thus far and asks for the public’s understanding and cooperation as its response continues.