A giant blaze in Point Douglas Wednesday evening needed approximately 100 firefighters to combat it, with crews remaining on scene well into Thursday.
Early reports peg damage at $1.5 million from the fire. No injuries were reported.
"Our resources were stretched very thin over the course of the night," said Ted Kuryluk, platoon chief.
Crews evacuated homes Wednesday night as a precaution. By Thursday morning, people were allowed to return.
The facility where the blaze was first reported used to be a paper mill but was more recently a warehouse housing paper products and shingle-making material. Products made of petroleum stored inside also fueled the fire.
Flames are estimated to have reached 100 feet in the air as the blaze raged.
"It looks like somebody dropped a bomb, actually," said Bruce Duncan, district chief.
With the warehouse several metres away from the road, crews had to use extensive hoses to get water close to the fire.
The building is a complete write-off.
The owner of the warehouse said it's a hit he'll have to absorb.
"The loss is totally mine. I have no insurance," said Sheldon Blank. He said he also lost expensive heavy machinery. Because of previous fires, he said insurance is not just expensive, but also difficult to get.
While people nearby believe the fire was deliberately set, officials said it's too early to say if that's the case. Officials continue to investigate.
With worries about the potential for runoff sending chemicals from inside burned structures into the river, experts from the province and even Ottawa were brought in to examine the scene, said fire officials. No environmental concerns were later found, CTV News has been told.
- with reports from CTV's Caroline Barghout and Rachel Lagacé
- to see more photos of the blaze, please go to CTV Winnipeg's gallery
