Condo fire in Winnipeg claims woman's life

A woman has died and her husbandis in critical condition after a fire engulfed a condo in Winnipeg and spread to adjoining units.

The blaze began late Thursday night in the attached garage of a triplex condo at 2270 St. Mary's Road, in the city's south St. Vital neighbourhood.

Thecouple, both 73,lived in the unit attached to the garage.

The fire spread to the two other condos in the complex.

No one in those other units was hurt.

Other residents in the neighbourhood told CBC News they heard an explosion.

"I was doing the dishes and I thought maybe, bang, bang, bang maybe it's thunder. So I got in here and I looked out the window and I see like it's smoke and cloud and just unbelievable," said Kristina Van Buren.

She and her husband, Brian, live in a separate triplex near the one destroyed in the fire.

"I got up and looked out and the flames were just roaring.So I immediately called 911," he said.

Damage is estimated at $1.7 million.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.