A man in his 70s is fighting for his life in hospital after a serious fire broke out in a seven-storey apartment building on Gladstone Avenue in Ottawa on Sunday night.
Rapid Response to Fourth-Floor Blaze
Ottawa Fire Services received an alarm call at 9:28 p.m. on December 21, 2025, from a monitoring agency reporting active alarms in the building located in the 200 block of Gladstone Avenue. Fire crews arrived on the scene within two minutes of being dispatched.
The alarm panel indicated the source was on the fourth floor. Firefighters ascending the stairwell were met by an evacuating resident who warned them the fourth floor was filled with smoke. Upon arrival, they encountered heavy black smoke creating zero-visibility conditions.
Rescue in Zero-Visibility Conditions
Firefighters located the unit where the fire originated and advanced a hose line inside. They discovered flames in the kitchen but managed to contain them before they could spread further. The fire was declared under control by 10:04 p.m.
During a search of the burning apartment, crews found an unconscious man on the floor. Firefighters carried the victim down to the building lobby where Ottawa Paramedics began immediate assessment and treatment.
The Ottawa Paramedic Service spokesperson confirmed the man, in his 70s, suffered critical smoke inhalation and severe burns and was transported to hospital in life-threatening condition.
Second Resident Hospitalized, Investigation Launched
A second man, in his 80s, was discovered in a different apartment on the same floor. He also suffered from smoke inhalation but was taken to hospital in stable condition.
Firefighters conducted a thorough search of all fourth-floor apartments, escorting any remaining residents down the stairwell to safety. An Ottawa Fire Services investigator has been assigned to determine the cause and origin of the fire.
The incident underscores the dangers of residential fires and the critical importance of functioning alarm systems, which alerted authorities and helped prevent a potentially greater tragedy.
