An Ottawa couple is now homeless after their three-storey home caught fire Monday afternoon, jeopardizing other nearby houses.
Ottawa firefighters said two police officers were biking just before 2 p.m. when they saw flames coming from the second floor window of 179 Waverley Street.
The officers went into the more than 100-year-old building to warn anyone still inside but were only able to search the first floor before smoke forced them out.
They declared a second-alarm fire upon arrival and were able to put the fire out with no injuries and no damage to neighbouring houses.
Tony Gariano said he and his wife were at work when neighbours started phoning him.
"It's a nice neighbourhood," he said. "The neighbours seem to care because they were on the phone right away letting me know that there was an issue and it was at our house."
Firefighters said the fire is believed to have started on the second floor and spread up to the attic.
It was reported to be under control just before 3 p.m. and estimated to have caused more than $300,000 damage.
"It does look like there's quite a bit of damage to the second floor, third floor and the attic, so it's going to be quite a high number. " said Ottawa Fire Services spokesperson Marc Messier. "Definitely, the couple won't be able to return for a while anyways."
Waverley Street between Elgin Street and Cartier Street was closed by police until 4:30 p.m., with power expected to be back around 5 p.m.
The cause of the fire is under investigation.
"My immediate suspicion is it might be something with the fireplace but we hadn't had a fire in the fireplace, a woodburning fireplace, for two days," Gariano said. "I have it cleaned so I just have no idea what it could be."
With a report from CTV Ottawa's Norman Fetterley
