A fire in downtown Ottawa Saturday night killed two people and injured three others, paramedics say.
Ottawa Fire Services (OFS) spokesperson Nick DeFazio said firefighters responded to a fire on the top floor of a residential 19-storey highrise on Somerset Street W. just west of Bank Street around 9:30 p.m., and that smoke and flames were visible through a balcony door when they arrived on scene.
Kevin Montgomery, commander of operations with the Ottawa Paramedic Service, said one person was pronounced dead at the scene. Another person was taken to hospital and later died.
Two others were taken to hospital. One of them was in critical condition as of Sunday afternoon, and the other sustained minor injuries.
A fifth person was assessed but not taken to hospital, paramedics said.
'Flames from the floor to the ceiling'
When firefighters arrived to the unit, they saw "flames from the floor to the ceiling," DeFazio said.
DeFazio said multiple 911 calls came after a monitoring agency notified OFS of the blaze. He said one of the calls came from someone on the balcony of the unit on fire who said they were trapped due to intense heat, heavy smoke, and flames inside the apartment.
Four people were inside the burning unit. Firefighters found three people unconscious inside the apartment. A fourth person was found on the balcony. All were moved to the hallway to begin lifesaving care.
The fire was brought under control at 10:03 p.m. No other apartment units were affected, DeFazio said, and the only people displaced were residents of the unit on fire and the one below it due to water damage.
Charred e-bike at the scene
Martin Barclay, who lives in the neighbourhood, said he saw multiple fire trucks and ambulances arriving at the scene Saturday night.
"I literally live next door. But, you know, [first responders] were here as quickly as they could, like they were here very fast," he said.
CBC saw the charred remains of an e-bike that DeFazio said was removed from the building.
"It is one of the items that we are looking at in the investigation," he said Sunday afternoon. "But nothing has been deemed the cause of the fire at this time."
Ottawa Community Housing property
The address is listed on Ottawa Community Housing Corporation's (OCH) website as one of its properties. The website also said it has 250 units and is geared to seniors.
In an email, OCH spokesperson Chantal Genova said it extends its condolences to the friends and family of the two people who died. Genova added that it is working to support tenants and that staff will be present in the building in the days and weeks ahead.
Ottawa Mayor Mark Sutcliffe also shared his condolences on social media.
"I’m deeply saddened to learn that two people lost their lives in the apartment fire in Centretown. My thoughts are with their loved ones and with everyone in the building and surrounding community who has been affected," he said.
The Ontario Fire Marshal's office is taking the lead on investigating the cause of the fire, DeFazio said.