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Overbrook fire sends five people to hospital
Fri Apr 11 2014 Section: OnLine Byline: Meghan Hurley and Meggie Sylvester

OTTAWA - Firefighters responded to a call early Friday at 725 Bernard St. in Overbrook, pulling six residents from windows and sending five to hospital, including one man who jumped from the third storey. The residents were treated for smoke inhalation, but the man who jumped also suffered a broken leg. Police officials confirmed the fire to be the second since September 2010 on the third floor of the Ottawa Community Housing building. Neighbours believe a fire might have taken place in the same unit in 2010, though it was not confirmed by police or fire officials. Jamie Keller, 57, and Karen Loyer, 63, were sleeping in their unit down the hall when the fire alarm went off around 6:45 a.m. The couple did not leave the apartment until firefighters knocked on the door several minutes later. Keller says his apartment does not have any water damage, but the couple were to be displaced until a fire investigator could arrive from Kingston on Friday afternoon. Others were taken to a nearby motel paid for by the Red Cross until fire investigators could deem the property safe. Residents who live on the first and second floors were allowed back into their units Friday morning.

"It could have been as simple as something left on the stove," said Keller, "or something could have malfunctioned." Keller said the couple woke up and immediately put tape and a wet towel along the door to prevent smoke from entering their unit. When asked about their reaction to the fire Friday morning, both responded: "What else can we say other than 'Not again!'?" Firefighters reported heavy smoke in the hallway on the third floor when they went into the building to rescue residents trapped in their units. The fire that began in the kitchen area of a bachelor apartment on the third floor was extinguished by 7 a.m., but firefighters remained on the scene to ventilate the building. Three other residents and a firefighter were assessed on the scene, but they did not require medical attention. The fire caused $200,000 in damage to the apartment unit and the third floor hallway. The Ottawa Red Cross and Salvation Army were on the scene to help displaced residents, but it was not immediately known how many residents were not allowed back into their units. mhurley@ottawacitizen.com(

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