Cat dies in Centretown high-rise fire where bathroom was ablaze

A cat is dead following a high-rise fire in downtown Ottawa

Ottawa fire Services (OFS) responded to a residential building in the 300 block of Waverly Street, between Elgin and O’Connor streets, around 8:45 p.m. on Monday, Aug. 19.

A monitoring company had reported an active fire alarm, and firefighters were on scene within two minutes of being dispatched. Crews quickly confirmed the fire was coming from the seventh floor, which was full of smoke and a working fire was declared.

Firefighters located the unit of origin and entered to find thick black smoke with zero visibility conditions.

A bathroom fire was confirmed and quickly extinguished before it could spread. The fire was under control shortly after 9 p.m. and it was confirmed there was no one inside the unit, however, a cat was found unconscious.

The animal was brought downstairs where firefighters performed CPR, but the cat succumbed to its injuries.

The smoke was ventilated from the building and residents were allowed to return home.

A fire investigator was dispatched to the scene to determine the cause and origin of the fire.