Six residents were displaced from their homes after a fire broke out in Little Italy under extremely hot and humid conditions on Tuesday. The Ottawa Fire Services say they were notified of smoke coming from the rear of a three-storey, detached multi-unit building in the 400 block of George Street West shortly before 4:10 p.m. Firefighters found heavy smoke coming from the building and located flames at the bottom of the basement stairs. More flames were found as they opened up the walls and ceiling. “Extreme weather conditions added to the challenges firefighters faced,” said Public Information Officer Nick DeFazio in a social media post. Temperatures peaked in Ottawa at about 4 p.m. on Tuesday with a temperature of 32 C as wildfire smoke also contributed to poor air quality around the city. While no residents were found trapped inside, firefighters found a cat and administered oxygen to the animal before reuniting it with its owner. There were no reported injuries. The fire was put out at 4:55 p.m. Victim services were notified to assist the displaced residents with temporary housing. An investigation into the cause and origin of the fire is ongoing.
