Firefighters freed a heavily trapped driver following a serious head-on collision at the intersection of Burton Road and North Russell Road last night. At approximately 19:46, the Ottawa Fire Services Communications Division received a call from our partners at the @OttawaPolice reporting a two-vehicle collision with one vehicle in the ditch. An off-duty Ottawa Firefighter came upon the collision and immediately stopped to help before first responders arrived. The Firefighter reported that a tractor-trailer cab, travelling without a trailer, had collided head-on with a Hyundai Santa Fe. The lone occupant of the Santa Fe was unconscious and trapped inside the heavily damaged vehicle. Upon arrival, Firefighters quickly stabilized the vehicle and advanced a charged hoseline as a precaution. Extrication began at 20:03, with crews using specialized hydraulic tools to remove multiple doors and the roof to access and free the driver. Given the proximity to the municipal boundary, Russell Township Fire Services also responded. A unified command was established, with both Fire Services working together throughout the complex extrication. The off-duty Firefighter remained inside the vehicle with the driver throughout the rescue, providing cervical spine stabilization while crews worked around them. Paramedics from the @OttawaParamedic and @CUPR_UCPR provided patient care throughout the extrication. At 20:41, the driver was safely removed from the vehicle and transferred to paramedics for transport to hospital. Firefighters applied absorbent to leaking fuel before clearing the scene, leaving it in the care of the @OttawaPolice and @OPP_ER for their investigation. Ottawa Fire Services thanks our off-duty Firefighter and our partners at Russell Township Fire Services, the Ottawa Police Service, the Ontario Provincial Police, the Ottawa Paramedic Service and Prescott-Russell Paramedic Service for their coordinated response. From the first moments of assistance to the completion of a challenging extrication, this rescue demonstrated how teamwork across agencies helps achieve positive outcomes when every second matters. #OttNews

Firefighters stopped a basement fire from spreading to a neighbouring home in Orléans this morning. At approximately 10:42, the Ottawa Fire Services Communications Division received multiple 9-1-1 calls reporting a fire at a single-family home in the 600 block of Decoeur Drive. Callers reported flames coming from the basement and extending out the side of the house close to the neighbouring home. Bystanders were knocking on neighbours’ doors to alert them and help them evacuate. Firefighters arrived four minutes after being dispatched and confirmed heavy smoke and flames coming from the home. Crews initiated a fast attack, advancing a hoseline through the front door while searching for occupants. Firefighters quickly located and extinguished the basement fire. Two complete searches confirmed no occupants were inside. The fire had travelled from the basement into the side wall of the home. Firefighters used chainsaws to open the wall, expose hidden hot spots and extinguish them. The fire was declared under control at 11:12. Firefighters protected the neighbouring home from the flames, limiting damage to minor heat damage to its siding. There are no reported injuries. An Ottawa Fire Services Investigator was dispatched to the scene to determine the cause. #OttNews

Firefighters rescued an occupant with no vital signs from an apartment fire late this afternoon and successfully restored their pulse and breathing through life-saving CPR. At approximately 17:24, the Ottawa Fire Services Communications Division received a 9-1-1 call from a 2½-storey multi-unit residential building in the 100 block of Lockhart Avenue. The caller reported heavy smoke on the top floor and that someone was trapped inside the apartment where the fire was located. Firefighters arrived four minutes after being dispatched and confirmed audible fire alarms and smoke coming from the rear of the building. Firefighters encountered a resident who had escaped from the building and required medical attention. A medical sector was established and Firefighters began assessing and treating the resident. The resident confirmed they had escaped from the fire unit and that another person remained inside. Firefighters quickly entered the apartment and located the occupant with no vital signs. The occupant was immediately brought outside where Firefighters began CPR and other life-saving measures. Firefighters successfully restored the patient’s pulse and breathing. They continued providing medical care and assisting the patient with their breathing. The fire was contained to the kitchen and declared under control at 17:49. Firefighters completed two full searches of the apartment and confirmed no other occupants were inside. Care of both patients was transferred to our partners from @OttawaParamedic upon their arrival. Firefighters checked behind the stove and confirmed there was no fire extension. High-pressure fans were used to remove the remaining smoke from the building. Residents of the other apartments will not be displaced due to the fire. An @OttFire Investigator has been dispatched to the scene. #OttNews

Firefighters helped evacuate multiple residents and contained a second-alarm fire to a single apartment in a high-rise building early this morning. At approximately 02:33, the Ottawa Fire Services Communications Division received a call from a monitoring company reporting active fire alarms at a residential high-rise building in the 200 block of Donald Street. Multiple 9-1-1 calls were subsequently received from residents reporting smoke and flames on the eighth floor. Several occupants also reported they were trapped and unable to safely leave their apartments. Upon arrival, Firefighters confirmed heavy smoke and flames coming from an apartment at the rear of the eighth floor. With multiple residents requiring assistance, a second alarm was declared at 02:38 to bring additional resources to the scene. Firefighters quickly made their way to the eighth floor where they encountered heavy black smoke banked down to the floor and zero-visibility conditions. Two aerial ladders were positioned at the rear of the building to support fire operations and conduct balcony rescues if needed. Firefighters located the fire unit and advanced a hose line inside. A search confirmed no occupants were in the apartment. Several e-bikes were burning inside the unit which intensified the fire. The fire was declared under control at 03:22. Due to the quick response and fast attack, Firefighters contained the flames to the unit of origin before they could spread to neighbouring apartments. Extensive ventilation operations were conducted to remove smoke from the eighth floor through to the 22nd floor. Multiple residents are expected to be displaced as a result of the fire. Thank you to @OC_Transpo for providing a bus to shelter evacuated residents. Our partners from @OttawaParamedic assessed and treated multiple residents at the scene. An @OttFire Investigator remains on scene to determine the cause and origin of the fire. #OttNews 📸 OFS Photographer Jean Lalonde