‘Ottawa’ Orléans Row House Blaze Displaces 20 People as Crews Fight 6 Weekend Fires
Firefighters are investigating after a row of townhouses in Orléans caught fire Saturday afternoon.
The fire — one of a number of blazes in Ottawa this weekend — displaced about 20 people and caused approximately $1.3-million dollars worth of damage, firefighters say.
Emergency crews were called to the two-alarm fire on Melette Crescent at around 4 p.m.
Ottawa Fire crews are checking for hot spots. This is a 6- door row; 2081-2083-2085-2087-2089-2091 Mellette Cr. pic.twitter.com/TspRJZ9tRg
Rear view of the 5-door row on Mellette Cr. Heavy radiant heat damage to neighbouring homes at rear & North side. pic.twitter.com/iWsoc3I9ua
Smoke could be seen pouring into the sky from blocks away.
@CBCOttawa @MessierOnFire My sister was driving by when she heard a loud boom, then this. Hope everyone is ok:( pic.twitter.com/RoBFAd696D
The flames spread to four units before firefighters were able to put out the fire.
One person was taken to hospital to be treated for smoke inhalation and a firefighter cut his hand at the scene.
The Salvation Army and Red Cross are helping about 20 people that were displaced by the fire, which firefighters say caused extensive damage to the affected units.
An investigator visited the scene but a cause has yet to be determined.
Rash of weekend fires
The Melette Crescent fire was the most serious of a number of blazes that broke out this weekend in Ottawa.
Earlier in the day, firefighters and hazardous materials crews were called to a waste management facility on Stevenage Drive after vehicles and storage containers caught fire.
Also this weekend:
- Two adults and a dog were displaced after a balcony fire broke out just before 9 p.m. on the fourth floor of a residential highrise on Riverside Drive. Damage is estimated at about $20,000, fire officials said.
- Firefighters were called to Skysway Electronic Garage on Leeds Avenue shortly before 9:30 p.m. after heavy smoke was seen billowing from one of the garage’s units. The fire was put out within the hour, and the cause and extent of damage have not been determined.
- Just after 5:30 a.m. Sunday, fire crews responded to a dumpster fire at 281 Montreal Rd. that had spread to the back wall of the two-storey commercial building. The fire was put out within 20 minutes. The cause and extent of damage have not been determined.
- At around noon Sunday, firefighters were called to 1841 Campeau Dr. in Kanta after receiving reports of flames and black smoke coming from a residential unit. Fire crews remained on the scene early Sunday afternoon. No damage estimate has been released.
No one was injured in any of those five fires, officials said.
Firefighters were also called to the Ottawa Tennis and Lawn Bowling Club on Saturday to deal with a chlorine spill. One person was taken to hospital with minor injuries.
Ottawa Fire crews opening up the roof to check for fire extension on Campeau. Salvage operations underway inside. pic.twitter.com/0hnOg8DtIP