Smoke billows from the vacant Windsor Hotel in downtown Winnipeg on Wednesday, September 13, 2023. (@MANITOBAHYDRO / TWITTER.COM)
WINNIPEG — The historic Windsor Hotel in downtown Winnipeg caught fire on Wednesday, sending black smoke across the city.
Winnipeg police blocked the area surrounding the hotel just before 11 a.m. as firefighters worked to contain the blaze.
It’s unclear what sparked the fire in the vacant building, which has been unoccupied since March of this year under a provincial health hazard order.
By Wednesday afternoon, the hotel’s south wall had collapsed. That gave way for crews to put out hotspots in advance of the structure’s demolition.
The 120-year-old hotel has a long history in Winnipeg. It once housed a music venue in the basement, but that closed in January 2020 due to crime.
The City of Winnipeg advised of reduced air quality in the downtown area as smoke continued to billow into the afternoon.
Officials say an investigation into the fire is ongoing. Damage estimates weren’t immediately available.
Due to a working fire Fort and Garry at St Mary Ave are closed off. Please avoid the area. @WinnipegTMC
— Winnipeg Police (@wpgpolice) September 13, 2023
Please be advised, an active fire in the downtown area today is reducing air quality in #Winnipeg. pic.twitter.com/xC3woGfjdb
— City of Winnipeg (@cityofwinnipeg) September 13, 2023
This story will be updated.
