Two cats dead, 4 people displaced after early morning Orléans blaze
Posted Feb 11, 2025 08:47:53 AM.
Last Updated Feb 11, 2025 08:47:59 AM.
Crews were called at 3:40 a.m. to Orléans where people described a fast-moving fire that could spread to adjoining townhouses.
It started in the 500 block of Harvest Valley Avenue and the caller said multiple people were outside, some standing barefoot in the cold and snow.
Firefighters arrived in four minutes and saw the blaze start spreading to other townhouses. After helping some of the people away from the backyard and into a waiting OC Transpo bus, crews grabbed a hose bringing it inside the building.
Some of the residents told firefighters there were three cats still inside the home.
Officials searched the home twice and did not find anymore people but did bring two of three cats outside the house that did not have vital signs.
They gave the cats oxygen and tried to resuscitate them but they succumbed to their injuries. The third cat is unaccounted for, the fire department said.
Using a chainsaw to remove parts of the walls crews were able to extinguish the flames in between the homes. After almost two hours on scene crews were able to declare the fire under control and reported that the flames did not cause major damage to the nearby units.
Four people from the home where the fire started are displaced and it’s possible two more from a unit beside could also be displaced.
An Ottawa fire investigator is on scene on Tuesday morning.
