Ghost or gimmick? Exploring Winnipeg’s reputedly haunted Firefighters Museum with paranormal investigators

The sound of footsteps out in the hallway at the Winnipeg Firefighters Museum interrupts a Ouija board session happening in the nearby board room.

But there’s nobody to be found.

Then come the voices heard on the ghostbox, a tool used by paranormal researchers – or ghost hunters – to detect spirits.

It was all part of CityNews Connect’s dusk-to-dawn investigation of the 121-year-old fire hall, which has long had a reputation for being haunted. Leading the way were Winnipeg Paranormal Group investigators Kelly Smith and Ashley Barnes.

“I’m really, really excited,” said Barnes of the amount of “activity” encountered. “That was incredible. But to see it in post (production) and be able to hear the things that we missed, it just makes me want to do more.”

“I feel like the fact that we’ve been in here so often, we seem to get more activity the more we’re in somewhere investigating,” added Smith. “So then it becomes more of a comfortable, homey atmosphere. So whatever is in here may be used to us and wanting to communicate more.”

The three-storey museum, built in 1904, was in use for 86 consecutive years until 1990. It now houses antique vehicles, firefighting equipment, photographs and personal items.

Did CityNews manage to communicate with spirits beyond? Or was there a rational, scientific explanation for the anomalies during the investigation at the Winnipeg Firefighters Museum? You be the judge.

WATCH: CityNews Connect: Phantoms of the Fire Hall