Fire in Springfield shuts down streets, leads to school evacuation

Heavy smoke can be seen in the Transcona area Monday as the Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service battles a blaze in the RM of Springfield, prompting the evacuation of some schools in the area.

The City of Winnipeg said the fire is at Saunders Street and Gunn Road and involves asphalt tanks. The area between Day Street, Redonda Street, North Perimeter and Paulley Drive/Larche Avenue is closed to traffic.

Around 1:20 p.m. Monday, the city said the fire is contained to asphalt tanks.

Businesses within 800 metres of the fire have been evacuated. Some of the schools in the area have also been evacuated and seen classes cancelled, including the Harold Hatcher Elementary School, Murdoch MacKay and Collège Pierre-Elliott-Trudeau. For more information, people are asked to contact school divisions.

People across Winnipeg shared photos of smoke from the fire to social media.

The city advises people living in this area to stay inside and keep doors and windows closed.

More to come…