Ottawa Fire declares air safe after New Edinburgh fire
Posted Mar 17, 2011 03:25:59 AM.
This article is more than 5 years old.
Ottawa fire has declared the air safe enough for residents surrounding the site of the Beechwood Avenue fire resume using fans and heating systems.
Firefighters wrestled the toxic fire to a stop Wednesday evening.
More than 100 firefighters raced to the five alarm fire that is believed to have started in the basement of a home hardware, where pesticides and chemicals were stored.
Ottawa fire chief John DeHooge said it was a fire that went through many stages. His team had to go from an offensive attack inside the building, to a defensive attack outside.
Though no one was injured in the blaze, about 200 people were evacuated, including a seniors residence.
Two businesses were completely destroyed and several apartment buildings are gone.
The fire broke out at 9:54 Wednesday. The first crew arrived within three minutes. More crews were called in to relieve exhausted firefighters and at one point they were one ladder away from making it a six-alarm blaze.
At the peak of the blaze, more than 100 battled the fire throughout the day.
Ottawa Fire Services and Ottawa Public Health are still recommending that any residents with lung or heart diseases limit outdoor exposure and that children should avoid touching or playing with any dust.
More thorough air quality tests were conducted overnight and with results to be released at 11:00 AM Thursday.
