Ottawa police arson unit investigating two fires at Little Italy building

The Ottawa police arson unit is investigating two fires in the space of a week at the same Little Italy apartment building.
The fires were reported on Nov. 19 and Nov. 27 at 865 Gladstone Ave., which is an Ottawa Community Housing building.
The first fire on Nov. 19 did significant damage to the building’s sixth floor and displaced 40 people. Two people were hurt but their injuries were considered minor.
The second fire on Nov. 27 was on the second floor. It did minor damage. Two seniors were hospitalized because of smoke inhalation and a third person was treated and assessed at the scene.
Both fires were in common areas outside the elevator, police said in a news release Tuesday.
“Detectives continue to investigate both matters. At this time, it is not known if the two incidents are related,” police said.
Ottawa Community Housing says all residents affected by the fire on Nov. 27 were able to return home after firefighters got the fire under control. Sixth-floor tenants affected by the Nov. 19 fire are slowly returning this week.
"From the very beginning, OCH assisted those displaced tenants with temporary emergency accommodations. We also collaborated with the City of Ottawa, Ottawa West Community Support, Red Cross, and the local community house to facilitate and distribute meals and other necessities while around-the-clock repair and remediation work at the property continued to rehouse tenants impacted as effectively and efficiently as possible," an Ottawa Community Housing spokesperson said in a statement to CTV News.
Fire prevention officers were at the building Monday to speak with tenants and an educational information booth was set up in the lobby with more information about fire prevention, OCH said.
Anyone with information is asked to contact the Ottawa police arson unit at 613-236-1222, ext. 4587 or by email at arson@ottawapolice.ca. Anonymous tips can be submitted to Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477) or at crimestoppers.ca
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Tyre Nichols' brutal beating by police shown on video
Memphis authorities released video footage Friday showing Tyre Nichols being beaten by police officers who held the Black motorist down and repeatedly struck him with their fists, boots and batons as he screamed for his mother and pleaded, ''I'm just trying to go home.'

CRA head says it 'wouldn't be worth the effort' to review all ineligible pandemic payments
The head of the Canada Revenue Agency says it 'wouldn't be worth the effort' to fully review $15.5 billion in potentially ineligible pandemic wage benefit payments flagged by Canada's Auditor General.
Lifelong Toronto Maple Leafs fan fulfils dream of seeing first game, passes away next day
Mike Davy always dreamed of going to a Toronto Maple Leafs game, and once it finally happened, he passed away the night after.
'This is too much': B.C. mom records police handcuffing 12-year-old in hospital
A review has been launched after police officers were recorded restraining a handcuffed Indigenous child on the floor of a Vancouver hospital – an incident the Union of B.C. Indian Chiefs has denounced as "horrendous."
WHO decision on COVID-19 emergency won't affect Canada's response: Tam
The World Health Organization will announce Monday whether it thinks COVID-19 still represents a global health emergency but Canada's top doctor says regardless of what the international body decides, Canada's response to the coronavirus will not change.
Canadian university faculty getting older, more female compared to 50 years ago: StatCan
Canadian university professors are mostly older and increasingly more female compared to 50 years ago, a new report from Statistics Canada has found.
Canadian Hyundai vehicles unaffected by theft issue in the U.S., company says
Hyundai cars in Canada don't have the same anti-theft issue compared to those in the United States, a company spokesperson says, following reports that two American auto insurers are refusing to write policies for older models.
Grizzlies, other NBA teams speak out on Tyre Nichols' death
The outrage, frustration, sadness and anger was evident around the NBA on Friday, the day that video was released showing how Nichols, a 29-year-old father, was killed by five Memphis police officers. Several teams released statements of support for the family, as did the National Basketball Players Association.
Video shows struggle for hammer during Pelosi attack
Video released publicly Friday shows the husband of former U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi struggling with his assailant for control of a hammer moments before he was struck in the head during a brutal attack in the couple's San Francisco home last year.