Fire crews were kept busy Tuesday evening battling a large blaze in the city's West End.

The blaze broke out around 4 p.m. in an apartment complex on Toronto Street near Notre Dame Avenue.

Fire

Heavy smoke and flames were pouring out of the building when crews arrived, and large plumes of smoke could be seen from across the city. 

Crews entered the building to fight the fire but were quickly forced out. 

Firefighters remained on scene throughout the night to bring the fire under control. 

Motorists are encouraged to avoid the area and find another route.

All occupants in the building evacuated safely. A neighbouring apartment building was also evacuated as a precaution. No injuries have been reported.

A Winnipeg Transit bus attended to the scene to provide shelter for the evacuees, and the City of Winnipeg’s Emergency Social Services (ESS) team was deployed to assist displaced residents in finding temporary accommodations.

The building has sustained significant fire, smoke, and water damage and is expected to be a complete loss. 

The cause of the fire is under investigation.