Ottawa firefighters revive man found without vital signs in Lockhart Avenue fire

Firefighters revived a man found without vital signs inside a burning apartment on Lockhart Avenue in Ottawa's west end Sunday evening, restoring his pulse and breathing at the scene before paramedics took over his care.

A 911 call came in at 5:24 p.m. on September 20 reporting a person trapped in the two-and-a-half storey residential building with heavy smoke on the top floor. When crews arrived, one resident had already exited the fire unit and told firefighters another person remained inside. That person — a man — was found unresponsive.

Ottawa Fire Services personnel started CPR and restored the man's pulse and breathing, continuing resuscitation efforts as paramedics arrived. The man was transported to hospital in life-threatening condition with inhalation injuries. A second resident, an adult male, was assessed on scene and taken to hospital in stable condition with minor smoke inhalation. An elderly male was treated at the scene with minor smoke inhalation.

The fire was contained to the kitchen and brought under control by 5:49 p.m. High-pressure fans were required to remove smoke from the building. Residents of other apartments were not displaced. The cause remains under investigation, with the Office of the Fire Marshall observing the building Monday afternoon.