An SUV crashed into a Rideau Street building and burst into flames early Monday morning in one of two fires at Ottawa dispensaries.
The Ottawa Police Service’s Arson and Explosion Unit is investigating the two suspicious fires.
The Ottawa Fire Services says it received a 9-1-1 call at 4:45 a.m., reporting a vehicle had crashed into a business on Rideau Street, near Dalhousie Street, and flames were spreading from the vehicle to the building that houses a dispensary business called Shroomyz.
Witnesses told CTV Morning Live a vehicle drove up onto the sidewalk and crashed into the building, then caught fire. The fire spread from the vehicle to the two-storey building. A video sent to CTV News Ottawa showed a vehicle engulfed in flames on the sidewalk in front of the business.
“Firefighters arrived on scene just three minutes after being dispatched and confirmed that the vehicle and the front of the two-storey business were fully engulfed in flames,” Nick DeFazio, Ottawa Fire Services Public Information Officer, said.
“Firefighters initiated a fast attack and breached the entrance to advance a hose line inside. A secondary crew began searching for any occupants while other firefighters worked to expose the fire that had spread into the ceiling between the ground and second floors.”
Photos posted on social media by the Ottawa Fire Services showed a burnt-out vehicle on the sidewalk and fire damage to the building.
The fire was declared under control at 5:45 a.m.
The Ottawa Police Service closed Rideau Street, but the road was reopened to traffic just before 9 a.m. Two police cruisers remained parked outside the building and the burnt-out vehicle remained parked on the street at 10 a.m.
A firefighter was treated for minor injuries at the scene.
Preston Street fire
Firefighters also responded to a fire at a Shroomyz on Preston Street in Little Italy.
DeFazio said 9-1-1 received a call at 5:01 a.m., reporting smoke coming from the roof of a single storey building in the 300 block of Preston Street, between Aberdeen Street and Beech Street.
“Upon arrival, smoke was visible coming from all four eaves of the building. Crews confirmed there was no fire inside, but flames were visible on the exterior back porch, extending into the soffits and roofline,” DeFazio said in an email.
“Firefighters advanced a hose line to the rear of the structure while another crew searched the interior for occupants. Firefighters opened up sections of walls and roof to access and extinguish the fire, and thermal imaging cameras were used to check for hot spots.”
The cause of the fire is under investigation.
Police are asking anyone who may have witnessed the fires or has information that could assist with the investigation to contact the Ottawa Police Service’s Arson and Explosion Unit at 613-236-1222, ext. 4587.
In March, the Ottawa Police Service was investigating “multiple suspicious fires” at drug dispensaries on Rideau Street and Little Italy.