Local business owner loses business, home in Notre Dame Avenue blaze

Crews began demolishing Miranda Foods on Notre Dame Avenue Saturday afternoon, after a fire destroyed the property.

An early-morning fire ripped through a business in the city’s west end Saturday morning, taking with it a family’s home and business.

“Around 2:45 a.m. I smell burning. It was a very bad smell,” said Emilio Miranda, the owner of Miranda Foods on Notre Dame Avenue.

Miranda woke up his wife and son and called 911 immediately. They all managed to escape, where they were met by fire crews.

“When I got outside, I saw black, like the smoke,” said Miranda.

Residents nearby said the inferno was unlike anything they had ever seen before.

“Flames just bursting out of nowhere. I could see smoke all over here and smell the smoke inside the house too,” said Dusty Brass, who lives across the street.

Strong winds worked against fire crews, who tried to bring the blaze under control.

Firefighters spent hours Saturday trying to contain the blaze but weren’t able to save the family’s business or their home.

“It was well involved,” said Paul Robinson of the Winnipeg fire department. “(It) spread inside the building before crews got there.”

Officials believe the blaze was deliberately set in a garbage bin behind the business and then spread. The arson strike force is still investigating what sparked the fire.

Miranda said he bought the business in 1993 and raised his two kids in an adjoining apartment. He tried to build the store up into a neighbourhood staple – with a grocery store, catering service and butcher shop.

Those living in the area said the storefront was an important part of their community.

“They were very friendly people to everybody in the neighbourhood,” said William Smith, who lives near Miranda Foods.

The home and business that took Miranda almost a lifetime to build is now destroyed beyond repair, fire officials said.

Winnipeg police pegged the damage caused by the fire at $1 million, and almost as soon as the blaze was extinguished officials said the building would have to be demolished for safety reasons.

By noon a massive bulldozer took down what was left of the building.

Due to the size of the fire, westbound Notre Dame from Balmoral Street to Langside Street had to be temporarily closed.

At 3 p.m. Spence Street between Cumberland Avenue and Notre Dame remained closed.

Miranda was too exhausted to stay and watch while the walls came down but said despite the massive loss, he’s happy his family got out okay.

“I thought it was going to be the end of the world to me,” said Miranda. “But thank god that we’re all safe – got out safe.”

Miranda said the property was insured and he plans to rebuild a new business in the near future.

In the mean time, the arson strike force is investigating the fire.

Anyone with information is asked to call investigators at 204-986-6813 or Crime Stoppers at 207-786-8477.