Over 200 residents were displaced after a sprinkler system caused extensive water damage at a Sandy Hill apartment building in Ottawa on Wednesday morning. Emergency crews responded around 9 a.m. to a fire on the eighth floor at 550 Wilbrod Street.
Although the fire was extinguished by the sprinkler system, water spread through multiple floors, collapsing part of the lobby ceiling.
Ottawa firefighters redirected the water flow out a window to minimize further damage and helped residents retrieve essential items. No injuries were reported. Power and water were shut off, and all 122 units were evacuated.
The Canadian Red Cross provided on-site support, while OC Transpo buses offered temporary shelter for residents and their pets. A nearby community centre was opened by the city to accommodate those displaced.