Ottawa fire responds to 2 water rescues, 2 fires Monday evening

Members of Ottawa Fire Services were kept on their toes Monday as crews responded to four calls throughout the evening: two for water rescues and two for fires.

Officials say they first received a 911 call reporting swimmers at a beach in the Westboro area who were nearing a whirlpool.

Water rescue technicians promptly launched a boat and brought two of the swimmers to shore safely, according to Ottawa Fire Services.

Lifeguards launched a second boat and brought the third swimmer to shore, officials add.

None of the swimmers or firefighters was injured in the incident. Ottawa fire officials urge swimmers who may not be familiar with the area they are swimming in to wear personal flotation devices.

The second call for a water rescue came in at around 8:40 p.m., officials say. The 911 call reported that two kayaks had been stuck in the Duchesne Rapids on the Ottawa River for approximately 15 minutes.

Water rescue technicians launched a boat to assist the boaters and kayakers, and their boats made it safely to shore without assistance, according to fire officials. There were no injuries in this incident, either.

In addition to water rescues, Ottawa fire officials say they received a 911 call about a blaze that occurred in an Ottawa Community Housing building at 215 Nepean St.

The call reportedly came from a neighbour, who said smoke was visible from the window of a sixth-floor apartment at around 8 p.m.

On-site security officers visited the unit and reported that black smoke was coming from inside and the front door was warm, according to fire officials.

Upon arrival, officials say firefighters declared a working fire and quickly extinguished the blaze, which was burning on a stovetop, and afterwards ventilated the smoke.

There was no damage to the unit, and according to Ottawa fire officials, it was unoccupied at the time.

The second fire occurred in a unit at 15 Frank St. downtown at around midnight.

Ottawa fire officials say they received multiple 911 calls reporting grey smoke in a boiler room and an odour of natural gas.

Upon arrival, firefighters confirmed smoke was visible in the basement hallway of the six-unit residential building and declared a working fire, officials say.

The blaze was quickly extinguished and was found to have originated in a clothes dryer, according to officials. Firefighters removed the appliance through a window once the fire was put out.

Fire services say the damage is minimal and none of the residents will be displaced from the building.

No one was injured as a result of the blaze, which was deemed not suspicious.