Owner was trying to repair apartment building before suspicious fire

Josh Crabb, CTV Winnipeg Published Tuesday, April 7, 2015 2:22PM CST Last Updated Tuesday, April 7, 2015 5:32PM CST

The massive inferno that destroyed a Hargrave Street apartment building Monday night has turned into an arson investigation.

The fire was so intense it cracked windows in Tedale Molla's apartment on the opposite side of the back lane.

"As soon as we saw the fire we left, said Molla, who took her three children outside, fearing the fire would spread.

Mollas daughter, 5-year-old Yedidiya Abasha, said it was a frightening ordeal.

"I saw a big fire," she said. "After that the firefighters came and watered it out."

The abandoned 4-storey apartment block was vacant.

No one was hurt but Winnipeg Police said the fire caused $1-million in damage, and based on witness accounts appears to have been deliberately set.

"We have what appears to be some youth observed in the building at some point, there's certainly some witness accounts that suggest some youth fleeing the area at the time of the fire, said Constable Jason Michalyshen.

Police said the suspects were described as three girls and two boys, 14 to 15-years-old.

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Owner was trying to repair apartment building before suspicious fire