Explosion and fire reported in Winnipeg industrial area

Emergency crews responded to an explosion and fire in an industrial area just east of St. Boniface.

Members of the Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service responded to a report of an explosion and fire in the city’s Mission Industrial neighbourhood on Thursday afternoon.

According to the City of Winnipeg, WFPS was dispatched to the 600 block of Mission Street at approximately 3:31 p.m. Thursday after the report was made.

On scene, crews found smoke and flames coming from a storage building on the property. Firefighters launched a fire attack and declared the blaze under control by 3:50 p.m. The city said the fire did not extend to the main structure.

A WFPS HazMat team was also dispatched to the scene because industrial chemicals were stored on site. The city said after an assessment, large quantities of chemicals were not involved in the fire.

All employees were able to evacuate safely before crews arrived and no injuries have been reported. The fire is currently under investigation and damage estimates are not available at this time.