Several calls were made to 911 about an apartment unit on fire in Ottawa on Saturday, including from a person stuck on the balcony of that residence. Officials say four people were rescued from the high-rise, though two later died from their injuries.
Ottawa Fire Services said they received a call at approximately 9:36 p.m. on March 14 from a monitoring agency reporting active fire alarms at a high-rise building in the 300 block of Somerset Street West.
After the first call, 911 received multiple additional calls about a fire in an apartment on the 19th floor, with some reports saying residents were trapped inside.
One caller contacted 911 from the balcony of the fire unit, stating they were trapped due to intense heat, heavy smoke, and flames inside the apartment and were unable to exit through the door.
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Fire crews arrived on scene three minutes after being dispatched and said heavy smoke was coming from the rooftop of the high-rise. Firefighters made their way quickly to the 19th floor and located the unit, encountering heavy smoke and flames from floor to ceiling upon entry.
A hose line was brought to the unit, as crews immediately began searching for trapped occupants.
Three people were found unconscious inside the apartment and were taken to a hallway to begin lifesaving care. A fourth person, who had made one of the 911 call, was safely helped from the balcony and taken out of the unit by firefighters.
A fifth resident of the building, who was on the same floor as the unit involved, was also helped out of the building.
The Ottawa Paramedic Service, along with the Fire Service, established a medical sector in the lobby, where both firefighters and paramedics assessed and treated victims.
They said CPR was used on two of the residents.
“Ottawa Fire Services extends its deepest condolences to the families, friends, and loved ones of the residents who lost their lives in this tragic incident,” Ottawa Fire said in a post on X.
As they worked to help the victims, firefighters continued battling heavy flames and extreme heat conditions. They were able to contain the fire to the apartment unit it began in, and prevent it from spreading.
The fire was declared under control by 10:03 p.m. Firefighers then began ventilating residual smoke from the structure using high-powered fans.
The investigation is ongoing into the fire, and a fire truck has remained on scene to monitor for any potential flare-ups as a fire watch remains in place.
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