Winnipeg fire crews are busy Friday evening battling a massive fire in Crestview.

The fire broke out just after 7 p.m. in the Quail Ridge Apartment Homes on Quail Ridge Road and Saskatchewan Avenue.

Fire

Several residents continue to watch as aerial ladders pour water on the four-storey complex.

It's believed the fire started on the fourth floor before quickly spreading to the rest of the building.

Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service (WFPS) Platoon Chief Brent Cheater says due to the structure and nature of the building, the fire spread quickly through the 47-suite complex.

All of the residents were able to evacuate before crews arrived at the scene.

"There were a number of animals in the building, which we have accounted for and evacuated, except one missing cat."

One firefighter was assessed at the scene and taken to hospital in stable condition.

Several area streets are closed as firefighters work to get the blaze under control.

"Residents will not be able to return to this building. It is structurally not sound," said Platoon Chief Brent Cheate. "Damage is significant."

The cause of the fire remains under investigation.