The Ottawa Police and Fire Services are investigating a suspicious early morning fire that damaged a south Ottawa home.
Ottawa Police say the blaze broke out in a community housing unit in the 1400 block of Heatherington Road near Walkley Road and Bank Street around 5:43 a.m. Tuesday.
They said there was evidence of a break-in at the home, which was what spurred on an arson investigation.
Ottawa Fire Services spokesman Marc Messier said fire crews notified police of the circumstances almost immediately.
"When our investigators arrived on scene they had some evidence that persuaded them this was an incendiary fire," he said. "At that point we always call in the Ottawa Police arson unit and they come in at that time and they take over the investigation."
Fire crews said the fire was contained to the basement, but the rest of the home suffered smoke damage – in total, $40,000 damage to the building and $10,000 damage to its contents.
Nobody was home at the time, according to firefighters, but a mother and child have been displaced.
Police said the residents of the home have been provided with temporary shelter.
Two firefighters suffered minor injuries; one had a cut above his eye and one hurt his shoulder falling down a stairwell. Neither injury needed hospitalization, according to fire crews.
Anyone with information is asked to contact the Ottawa Police Arson Section at 613-236-1222 Ext. 2758, or Crime Stoppers at 613-233-8477 (TIPS) or toll free at 1-800-222-8477.
With a report from CTV Ottawa's Ellen Mauro
