Fire breaks out at Centretown home after air conditioning unit ignites

Firefighters battling a fire on Bay Street in Centretown on May 5, 2026. (Scott Stilborn/Ottawa Fire Services)

Ottawa firefighters were called to Centretown on Tuesday afternoon after a blaze ignited by an air conditioning unit caused severe damage to a home.

In a news release, the Ottawa Fire Services say they received multiple 911 calls reporting a fire on Bay Street, near Laurier Avenue at approximately 12:50 p.m.

Fire crews found visible flames and smoke coming from a single-family home and required calling additional resources to the scene to assist.

The extent of the flames required a hose line to be advanced into the structure. No one was found inside the home and no injuries were reported.

Firefighters were able to have the fire under control at approximately 1:10 p.m. and contain it to the top floor.

An Ottawa Fire Services investigator has been called to determine the cause of the incident and a fire truck remains on scene to monitor for any flare ups.

Ottawa police closed Bay Street between Lisgar and Somerset streets while the fire was ongoing, but the roads have since been reopened.

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