Fifteen people have been displaced after a fire destroyed one home and severely damaged another two on Thursday afternoon in Barrhaven.
According to Ottawa Fire Services, dispatchers received multiple 911 calls at 4:44 p.m. reporting heavy smoke coming from the back deck of an end-unit townhome on Claridge Drive.
Heavy smoke was visible from a distance and with information given over the radio, fire crews declared a working fire at 4:47 p.m.
Upon arrival, a second alarm was declared as the fire had spread to the house. Photos from the scene show the fire was hot enough to melt the siding on the homes.
According to fire investigators, three homes have been deemed uninhabitable and damage has been estimated at $1 million. There were no injuries to firefighters or residents but one of the homeowners lost at least one cat and three others are unaccounted for.
A GoFundMe page has been set up to help raise money for the family who lost their cats and all of their possessions.