Discovery of body at a home on Clarke Avenue deemed non-suspicious: Ottawa police

The Ottawa Police Service says the discovery of a body that was found at a home on Clarke Avenue in the Cummings area, in the city's east end Tuesday night has been deemed non-suspicious.

Police say they were called at around 8:20 p.m. for a fire in the 600 block of Clarke Avenue.

 

"This was a tiered response with Ottawa Fire Services and the Ottawa Paramedic Service," the city's police service told CTV News Ottawa in a statement Wednesday. "One person was located deceased at the scene."

Ottawa Fire Services public information officer Nick DeFazio told CTV News Ottawa firefighters received a call reporting a fire at the home; however, when they arrived on the scene, the fire was already out and there was no need to extinguish it.

"All fires are treated as suspicious until deemed otherwise," Ottawa police added in the statement. "Once cause is determined, the appropriate actions are taken, which may include a criminal investigation."

Sgt. Greg Wilson, with the Ottawa police arson unit, told reporters Wednesday the cause and origin of the fire was still undetermined. He added the Fire Marshall was investigating what led to the fire, while the city’s police service was working with the fire service to determine the nature of the incident.

"That would help us a great deal with regards to the parallel investigation into the death. So, by all means, at this point it doesn't look like it's a suspicious death," he said.

"But because there's a fire involved, the Ottawa Police Arson Unit, myself and my two detectives, will help do the parallel investigation into the death and we will be the agents for the coroner in this circumstance."

Wilson told reporters there were no calls to 9-1-1 for a fire in the home.

"You can put two-and-two together and say that there's no calls, no sign of fires outside so it probably went out by itself or was put out by somebody," Wilson said.

An Ottawa police cruiser was seen outside a home on Clarke Avenue Tuesday night following the incident.

Clarke Avenue is located off St. Laurent Boulevard. 

This is a developing story. More to come