A basement fire in an Old Ottawa East home forced four adults and several pets out of the building Thursday morning, with one person requiring medical attention for smoke inhalation.
Ottawa firefighters were called to a two-storey residence in the 0–100 block of Herridge Street at approximately 8:25 a.m. after reports of smoke coming from basement windows. The property had been divided into two separate apartments.
Fire crews arrived within four minutes and deployed a hose line into the basement while another team searched the building. Residents and their pets had already evacuated safely by the time firefighters confirmed the situation.
The fire was brought under control by 8:46 a.m. and remained contained to the basement apartment. An investigation is underway to establish what caused the fire.