Portage la Prairie firefighters were called out just before 3:30 this morning to deal with a fire on River Road. A fire department official says a number of newspapers and a propane tank were stolen from the Portage Co-op outlet on River Road.

The thieves then placed the pile of papers, with the tank on top, on the northbound lane of River Road, just north of the traffic lights at Wilkinson Crescent, and set the papers on fire.

The RCMP closed the road for a short time while the fire department dealt with the fire.

There was no tank explosion, and no one was injured.

The RCMP are investigating.

 

At around 6 this morning, firefighters were called to 14th Street Northwest, after a metal shed was reported on fire.

The interior was gutted, with about $3000 worth of damage.

There were no injuries, and the blaze is under investigation.


There was also a small refuse fire between 1st and 2nd Streets Northwest that was seen by RCMP members. They extinguished it without calling the fire department.