Seven people have been displaced following a two-alarm fire that spread across two rowhouse units west of downtown Ottawa on Tuesday morning.
The city’s fire department said a resident reported the fire at 1100 Medford St. at 6:42 a.m.
When firefighters arrived five minutes later, they found “black smoke” and “heavy flames” coming from the unit’s second floor, according to Ottawa Fire Service’s public information officer, Jen McNeely.
The fire department called for reinforcements because “the flames seemed to be spreading through the roof to the neighbouring unit,” but the call was “quickly cleared” as firefighters got control of the blaze, McNeely said.
McNeely confirmed the fire started in one unit and travelled to the rowhouse next door. Firefighters had to pull down some walls separating the units as they tackled the blaze, which was under control at 7:22 a.m, she said.
Residents from both homes had left the units and were outside when first responders arrived, according to Ottawa Fire Services.
One resident was assessed by paramedics for possible smoke inhalation, McNeely said. A call to the Ottawa Paramedic Service for more information was not immediately returned.
Three adults and four children have been displaced between the two units and were getting help from the Red Cross and Salvation Army, McNeely said.
Ottawa city councillor Riley Brockington tweeted later Tuesday morning that two families had been displaced and that he had touched base with Ottawa Community Housing about the fire.
A fire investigator has been dispatched to examine what caused the fire.
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