Crews battle back-to-back fires in less than two hours

There were two blazes first responders were called for in Ottawa during a busy morning.

The first call came in at 5:10 a.m. for a basement fire in the 200 block of St. Denis Street in Vanier. Crews arrived on scene in minutes and found flames coming from the unit in a 2.5-storey building.

Quickly, teams brought a hose to the rear of the structure where they could get inside. They were met with a wall of heavy flames extending down the basement stairs. Another team started searching the building and setting up ladders from the second-floor windows to allow an escape route.

Another group of firefighters at the front of the building were met with flames going up the stairs to the upper floors, a press release reads. Two searches determined no one was inside.

Crews were able to find and save two cats on the third floor.

No injuries were reported, but 11 adults and five children are displaced from the blaze. It was declared under control by 5:49 a.m.

Soon after, crews were called to a fire south of Hintonburg in the 100 block of Fairmont Avenue.

Once on scene at 6:26 a.m., firefighters confirmed heavy smoke and a blaze coming from a garage. The team noticed The Merry Dairy food truck nearby that was at risk.

Quickly, firefighters brought hoses to knock down the fire while protecting the food truck. They cut power to the garage and once inside, extinguished the fire before it could spread after being on scene for 12 minutes.

They used a thermal imaging camera to ensure no hot spots were found.