Here are some safety tips to protect yourself from highrise fires
Ottawa Fire Services says last week was busy, noting that crews battled eight fires since Monday.
Two of the fires were at a highrise at 1244 Donald St. in the Overbrook neighbourhood. The first sent two children and a woman to hospital in critical condition. It was deemed suspicious. The second broke out in a bedroom less than 48 hours after the first fire. It resulted in a minor injury.
Firefighters shared some tips with highrise residents in a post on X Sunday.
Crews note that there are three important steps to keep in mind: Learn what to do in case of a fire, familiarize yourself with the fire safety features and know the exit locations.
Fire inside your apartment
Firefighters say if there is a fire in your apartment, you should tell everyone inside to leave and then close the doors behind you. Second, you should activate the fire alarm in the hallway on your floor and yell “Fire.” Then you should exit the building using the nearest stairway. Once outside, firefighters want you to call 911 and to tell firefighters what happened and where the fire is when they arrive on scene.
Should you stay inside or should you leave?
Firefighters say the best thing to do is to leave the building as soon as possible.
"But in some cases, you may not be able to leave and you may have to stay in your apartment," reads the post. "Whether you decide to stay or go, you must act quickly and protect yourself from smoke."
What should you do when you hear the fire alarm?
- Firefighters say you should feel the door to your unit to determine whether it’s hot or not. If it’s hot, you need to choose another way out.
- You should not use the elevator.
- If there’s smoke in the stairway, firefighters want you to take another stairway, before it’s too late. And if this is not option, you should go back to your unit or seek shelter in another unit.
- Listen carefully to any announcements inside the building, and follow them.
- Call 911 and let them know about you.
What should you do if you can’t leave your apartment?
- You should stay inside until you get rescued, crews say noting that this might take a long time.
- You should not leave your apartment a long time after the alarm has sounded.
- Keep smoke from entering your apartment. This can be done by using a duct tape to seal cracks around your doors.
What should you do if smoke enters your apartment?
- Move to the balcony, then call 911 and tell them where you are.
- Go to the most smoke free room if you don’t have a balcony and open the windows for fresh air, if necessary, firefighters say.
- Stay low to the floor where the air is cleaner.
- Follow firefighters’ instructions.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Community mourns victims of fatal boat crash near Kingston, Ont.
The three people killed in last weekend's tragic collision between a speedboat and a fishing boat north of Kingston are being remembered Friday.
Humboldt Broncos crash victims and families react to decision to deport truck driver
The family of one of the victims of the Humboldt Broncos bus crash in 2018 says they are 'thankful' for a decision by a Calgary immigration board to deport the driver of the truck involved.
More enoki mushrooms, Lamborghini Urus and promotionally-gifted tumbler cups: Here are the recalls for this week
Health Canada, Transport Canada and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) issued various recalls this week. Here's what you need to know.
'God forgives but we don’t': Loud outburst from stabbing victim’s family during sentencing hearing
An emotional outburst in a London, Ont. courtroom Friday disrupted the sentencing hearing of a woman who pleaded guilty for her part in the death of 29-year-old Mohammed Abdallah.
American Airlines drops law firm that said a 9-year-old girl should have seen camera on toilet seat
American Airlines has replaced the law firm that told a judge a nine-year-old girl was negligent in not noticing there was a camera phone taped to the seat in an airplane lavatory.
Luciano Benetton says he's stepping down as chairman of family-run brand as losses top US$100 million
Luciano Benetton, a co-founder of the apparel brand, announced he was stepping down as chairman in an interview published on Saturday with Milan daily Corriere della Sera. He blamed current management for losses of 100 million euros (US$108.5 million) that he discovered last year.
Three dead after vehicle leaves road in Shediac: N.B. RCMP
Three people have died after a vehicle veered off the road in Shediac N.B., Friday morning.
A woman took her dog to a shelter to be euthanized. A year later, the dog is up for adoption again
Exhausted and short on options after consulting two veterinary clinics, Kristie Pereira made the gut-wrenching decision last year to take her desperately ill puppy to a Maryland shelter to be euthanized.
1 dead, 3 in hospital after flying wheel crashes into bus windshield on QEW
A man is dead, and three others are in hospital after a flying wheel crashed into a coach bus on the QEW in St. Catharines.