Firefighters were back at a Donald Street highrise Friday night — the same building where eight people were taken to the hospital earlier this week following a suspicious fire.
Ottawa Fire Services say they received several 911 calls and with the fire visible once they arrived on the street.
The bedroom fire on the sixth floor was quickly brought under control by approximately 11:45 p.m., an Ottawa Fire Services media release about the incident states.
“It was inside of a particular unit,” Deputy Chief Nathan Adams told CBC News by phone Saturday morning. “We’re continuing to investigate, but at this point we can rule out incendiary, or arson or suspicious nature.”
2nd fire this week
Adams said overnight they implemented a fire watch, where an active crew is left on site out of abundance of caution.
“Some residents were certainly concerned about their safety having had subsequent fires in two consecutive days,” he said.
Paramedics say one patient was treated and released with minor injuries.
The Canadian Red Cross and the Salvation Army were also offering help to those at the highrise who needed it.
Adams said seven people resided in the unit and were they only ones displaced.
Earlier this week emergencies crews were called to the same building on Thursday morning for report of a fire. The two-alarm fire was deemed suspicious by mid-afternoon. Ottawa’s fire chief said around 200 people were affected by Thursday’s blaze.
Roughly 56 residents are still displaced.
Of the eight people taken to the hospital, three were in critical condition — two children and a woman.