Fire spreads quickly through Emerson home Monday evening

A screenshot from a video sent by Kelcey French shows a home in Emerson on fire Monday evening (courtesy Kelcey French)

WINNIPEG — One person is in stable condition following a Monday evening house fire in Emerson.

Emerson-Franklin Fire Department was called to a home in the 300 block of Dallas Avenue at 6:18 p.m.

“When we pulled up on scene, we had a heavy fire on the back of the house,” said fire chief Jeff French, speaking over the phone Tuesday morning.

French said firefighters began attacking the fire at the back of the house, but noted it spread to the attic of the home quickly. Fire departments from Letellier and Altona assisted with fighting the fire.

The weather Monday affected how the blaze spread through the home.

“With the south wind, and the heat, and the dry conditions – the humidity was about 22 per cent – and the temperature was 24, 25 degrees, so it puts it in a very dangerous situation for fire spread,” said French. “That fire spread so quickly to the attic.”

French said five animals were in the home at the time, and were all able to be rescued. Two people in the home were able to escape the blaze.

One man who entered the house to help rescue an animal was taken to hospital with burns on his hands, French said. He is currently in stable condition.

French is estimating the total damage to be between $300,000 and $400,000.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation.