A house fire in Ottawa’s Centretown neighbourhood caused significant damage Tuesday afternoon after being sparked by an air conditioning unit.
Emergency crews responded to multiple 911 calls around 12:50 p.m. reporting flames on Bay Street near Laurier Avenue. Firefighters arrived to find heavy smoke and visible fire coming from a single-family home, prompting additional crews to assist.
Teams advanced hose lines into the building and brought the blaze under control within about 20 minutes, containing it to the upper floor. No occupants were inside at the time, and no injuries were reported.
An investigator has been assigned to examine the cause, while crews remained on scene to monitor for potential flare-ups. Police temporarily shut down Bay Street between Lisgar and Somerset during the response, but traffic has since resumed.