More than 50 people seeking shelter after multiple fires in West End neighbourhood

Nearly 50 Winnipeggers are seeking shelter after two fires in two days in apartment blocks inthe area of Maryland Street and Ellice Avenue.

A fire on Sunday morningin an apartment block at the corner of Maryland and Ellice sent one person to hospital in critical condition,since upgraded to unstable condition.

While several firefighters workedto extinguish the fire, others searched the building and found one person still inside. The personwas rushed to hospital in critical condition andhassince been upgraded to stable.

Three more people were taken to hospital in unstable condition after the apartment fire early Monday sent more than 40 people into the street.

Crews were called just before 6:30 a.m. to the three-storey building at 426 Maryland St..

More than 40 others got out before firefighters arrived.Transit buses were brought in toshelter them temporarily and paramedics assessed them for injuries, including smoke inhalation.

A section of Maryland, a main thoroughfare in Winnipeg's West End, was closed to traffic in the morning.

The cause of the fire is under investigation and no damage estimates are available at this time.

The Red Cross is helping those affected by the fires findshelter.

"A lot of the work we do is working with people who are especially vulernable. They have less ability to cope with the fires," saidMichelle Ford, emergency management co-ordinator for the Red Cross.

"That's who we're there for, is to help the most vulnerable people."

The Red Cross offers assistance to victims of fires for 72 hours, working with the families to get them back on their feet.

"As we're sitting down with each family to figure out their needs, we're coming up with a plan to find other organizations to help them, especially long term," Ford said.

The City of Winnipeg's emergency social services team also is helping the displaced residents find other places to stay temporarily.

Emergency crewswere called to the same area around 4 a.m. Sunday for the earlier apartment fireat the corner of Maryland and Ellice.

In that fire, about 30 people were forced from their suites in the three-storey block.

In total, 70 people have been displaced from their homes, according to a City of Winnipeg spokesperson.

Fire in Riverview

Crews were also called to a fire just after 7 a.m. Monday in the Riverview neighbourhood.

The flames, inside a single family home on Morley Avenue between Fisher and Hay streets, were brought under control by 7:30 a.m.

There was one person home whogot out safely before emergency crews arrived. The person was assessed by paramedics and sent to hospital in stable condition for further treatment.

No other injuries were reported.

The cause of the fire is under investigation and no damage estimates are available at this time.