ManitobaA 49-year-old man is facing multiple arson charges after turning himself in to police for setting his North End home and a downtown office lobby on fire on Friday, Winnipeg police said.Police say man turned himself in to authorities shortly after setting 2nd fire downtown on FridayCBC News · Posted: Aug 31, 2025 11:37 AM EDT | Last Updated: 6 hours agoWinnipeg firefighters responded to a fire at a single-family bungalow on Pritchard Avenue, between Austin Street North and Charles Street, on Friday afternoon. (Travis Golby/CBC)A 49-year-old man is facing multiple arson charges after turning himself in to police for setting his North End home and a downtown office lobby on fire on Friday, Winnipeg police said. The man poured a container of gasoline inside his house, a bungalow on Pritchard Avenue between Austin Street North and Charles Street, and lit it on fire around 2:40 p.m. on Friday, police said in a Sunday news release. The fire caused an explosion with a blast so forceful that the man was blown out of the house before it spread to a neighbouring home, police said. The neighbours evacuated and called fire crews, according to the release. Police said the man wasn’t hurt in the blast and left to buy more gasoline at a nearby convenience store. Around 4:15 p.m., he went to the Manitoba Housing office building on Donald Street, between Portage and Notre Dame avenues, a Winnipeg police spokesperson confirmed to CBC News. The man then poured gasoline in the lobby and lit it on fire, forcing employees to flee the area, police said. No one was injured. About 20 minutes later, the man walked a short distance to Winnipeg police’s downtown headquarters and turned himself in. Police said the man’s North End home was a total loss and the office lobby was significantly damaged in the fire. The spokesperson said police can’t provide any details on why the man might have lit his home and the Manitoba Housing office lobby on fire, as the investigation is ongoing.The man was charged with two counts of arson with disregard for human life and two counts of arson causing damage to property, the release said. The man was detained in custody. Police said he is not a suspect for other arsons in the city at this time. More from CBC Manitoba: With files from Gavin Axelrod
Man faces multiple arson charges after setting home, Manitoba Housing office lobby on fire: Winnipeg police
