Dog, cat dead, three people taken to hospital as crews called to three fires

Ottawa firefighters battled a blaze at a two-storey townhome in the 700 block of Belisle Street early in the morning on Wednesday, June 17, 2026. Photo by X /Ottawa Fire Services

Article content

Two pets died and three people, including a child, were taken to hospital as a result of three fires that Ottawa Fire Services was called to over a nine-hour span beginning Tuesday evening.

Article content

The first 911 call came in at 7:02 p.m. on June 16, with the caller reporting active fire alarms at a residential highrise in the 100 block of McLeod Street.

Article content

Article content

Fire crews, upon arrival, confirmed that smoke was coming from the building, with residents reporting that the fire was on the seventh floor. The lone person from the affected unit was found in the lobby, suffering from smoke inhalation, Ottawa Fire Services said in a social media post on Wednesday, June 17.

Article content

Article content

While the fire was quickly brought under control by 7:16 and did not spread to other units, firefighters did locate one dog and one cat that had died.

Article content

Article content

One adult was taken to hospital in serious, but stable condition, and two other patients were treated at the scene and released, according to an Ottawa Paramedic Service spokesperson who did not have any details on the nature of their injuries.

Article content

Two residents were displaced as a result of the incident.

Article content

A second 911 call, about a kitchen fire in the 100 block of Tacom Circle, came in at 12:05 a.m. Wednesday.

Article content

When crews arrived at the two-storey end-unit townhouse, residents told them that everyone had safely escaped, but that two cats remained inside the home.

Article content

The fire was deemed under control by 12:36 a.m. and contained to the kitchen, with both cats being located and brought to safety outside.

Article content

The third 911 call was received at about 4:30 a.m., with this one reporting a fire in a two-storey townhome in the 700 block of Belisle Street. After getting to the location, crews saw heavy smoke coming from the second floor and initiated a fast attack, advancing a hose line inside.

Article content

Article content

According to the Ottawa fire social-media post, firefighters “encountered zero-visibility conditions while searching for any occupants and extinguishing the flames.”

Article content

Article content

This blaze was under control by 4:51 a.m. and crews kept it from spreading to adjoining units.

Article content

While residents had advised firefighters arriving at the scene that everyone had evacuated the home, four people had injuries.

Article content

An Ottawa Paramedic Service spokesperson said one child was taken to CHEO in serious, but stable condition because of smoke inhalation, two adults were treated at the scene for smoke inhalation and released, and an adult female was taken to hospital in stable condition after being injured while evacuating the building.

Article content

Two adults and two children were displaced as a result of the third fire.

Article content

Our website is your destination for up-to-the-minute news, so make sure to bookmark our homepage and sign up for our newsletters so we can keep you informed.

Article content