Fire strikes two Ottawa homes
Posted Feb 6, 2012 10:46:01 AM.
This article is more than 5 years old.
Ottawa fire crews battled two blazes in the city Monday, one in the east end, the other in the south.
A family of three was left homeless after thick black smoke consumed their home after a basement fireburnt itself out at 7 Leeward Street, just off Merivale south of MacFarlane.
Moe Shirazi arrived home just before 12:30 Monday afternoon and opened his front door to a blast of smoke and called Ottawa Fire.
He told 1310News despite everything, he feels lucky because no one was home at the time.
“I’m out of here, my wife is at work, my daughter’s at school, so the rest doesn’t matter,” said Shirazi.
Ottawa Fire Chief Shawn O’Neil told 1310News while the structure of the home is intact, there is a lot of smoke damage.
“We’re probably looking at $400,000-$450,000,” in damages, O’Neil told 1310News. “It’s very significant, smoke damage throughout. Heavy, heavy black smoke throughout the whole structure.”
The cause is still under investigation and the Shirazi family has made arrangements for a place to stay.
Earlier, fire completely destroyed a home in Orleans.
Ottawa fire crews were called to 1547 Champneuf Dr, just off Jeanne D’Arc Blvd at 7:28 a.m. and managed to get the fire under control around 10:00 a.m. The fire is believed to have started in the basement.
A smoke detector woke the sleeping couple who live there. They managed to escape with their pet dogs and call 911. Their 2 children were not home at the time.
At 07:48 a.m., a 2nd Alarm assignment was requested.
Firefighters began a defensive attack when the main floor began to collapse and flames were seen coming through the roof.
Jeanne D’Arc was closed in both directions for four hours between Orleans Blvd and Belcourt Blvd.
