A 53-year-old woman is dead after being found unconscious on the ground in downtown Winnipeg early Sunday morning after a night where the temperatures dropped and the wind chill dipped to –32.

Police were called to the 300 block of Portage Avenue at around 6 a.m. and the woman was pronounced dead at the scene.

Only a few hours earlier firefighters had responded to the same block after a call about "multiple people that were frozen," according to Alex Forrest, president of the United Fire Fighters of Winnipeg.

"We arrived on scene and we managed to find one of the individuals and it seems that the other individual, when they heard the sirens, walked away," Forrest said.

The individual who was located was in distress, very cold and was taken to hospital.

Forrest said he believes the person who walked away before they arrived was the woman who later died.

"It's a real tragic case," he said.

The temperature was –24 C at around 4 a.m. when the firefighters responded to the call and the wind chill was –32.

With the sudden cold snap, Forrest said people need to make sure they are watching for those who are most vulnerable to the cold.

"We all have to be on guard. We have to be able to watch," he said.

"If you see any vulnerable people out and about, it is dangerous to be outside in this weather, especially late at night… please call the authorities."

Police have ordered an autopsy but said they don't suspect foul play.