A 31-year-old man has been charged after a railway bridge was damaged by an alleged arson Tuesday evening. Winnipeg police responded to the fire beneath the bridge at the Empress Avenue and Westway Avenue crossing near Omand’s Creek at 8:15 p.m. Flames and smoke could be seen coming from beneath the bridge. Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service crews responded to the area and extinguished the fire. A male suspect was arrested approximately 30 minutes later in the 600 block of Erin Street. He has been charged with arson causing property damage and failure to comply with a probation order and detained in custody. Police also consulted with Canadian Pacific Kansas City Railway Police and the suspect was charged under the Railway Safety Act for unlawfully entering railway property. He was detained in custody and none of the charges have been tested in court. Police said the railway bridge sustained damage from the fire, but the structure remains operational. No damage estimates are available.
