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This article was published 23/1/2019 (604 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Residents in the Spence neighbourhood are nervous after a fourth fire on Maryland Street in the past 10 days.

Fire crews rushed to a three-storey apartment complex on the 600 block of Maryland Street Wednesday after getting a report of a blaze at about 9:10 a.m.

One person was seriously hurt and more than 40 other people were left homeless after the first fire in this apartment building on the 400 block of Maryland Street. (Mike Deal / Winnipeg Free Press files)

Firefighters said they found a small fire in the exterior stairwell of the building and put it out within eight minutes of getting the call.

The fire did not damage the structure of the building, there were no injuries and most residents will be able to return to their suites. One unit had smoke and water damage.

The cause of the fire is under investigation and there was no damage estimate.

Benjamin Simcoe, housing co-ordinator at the Spence Neighbourhood Association, said they've been working recently with tenants and landlords about fire safety.

"I think people are always a little nervous about fires, as we've had a few in the last few years, but I'm not sure as to how much this adds to that feeling," he said.

On Jan. 13, one person was taken to hospital and 30 others were left homeless after a blaze in an apartment block on Ellice Avenue at Maryland Street.

A day later, one person ended up in critical condition and more than 40 were homeless after a fire broke out in a three-storey apartment building on the 400 block of Maryland Street. On Jan. 21, a fire was started in the same building, which had been boarded up. An adjacent home had to be evacuated as a precaution.

On Jan. 13, one person was taken to hospital and 30 others were left homeless after a fire in this apartment block on Ellice Avenue at Maryland Street. (John Woods / Winnipeg Free Press)

Firefighters are investigating the cause of the first three incidents.

Simcoe, who is co-ordinating a donation drive to help the 100 people who have lost their possessions after the first two fires, said one of the safety talks they organize was coincidentally scheduled immediately after those fires.

"We work with small local landlords to make sure they have all the information and resources they need to keep their buildings safe," he said.

"We also help tenants with advocacy support if their units and buildings are not fire safe and ensure landlords are making any changes or improvements that need to happen."

Meanwhile, Simcoe said in the first few days of the donation drive, they've received $1,500 in cash and "an absolutely overwhelming response" of household items and clothes.

"The donations are coming in constantly," he said.

Donations of furniture, clothes, small appliances and other items can be dropped off at the John Howard Society, 583 Ellice Ave., while cash donations can be dropped off at the Spence Neighbourhood Association office at 615 Ellice Ave. Online donations are being accepted at spenceneighbourhood.org/donate.

kevin.rollason@freepress.mb.ca