Updated: Wed Jan. 25 2012 1:12:45 PM
ctvottawa.ca

An east Ottawa garage fire that spread into the attached apartment Wednesday morning is suspected to have been caused by a discarded cigarette.

Ottawa firefighters said the son of a tenant at 146 Parkrose Private in Orleans was getting ready to leave on a business trip with his father when he noticed the fire around 6:15 a.m. Wednesday.

The son then ran upstairs to wake another tenant, and the father returned from running errands to find the pair waiting for fire crews on the lawn.

Ottawa paramedics said they treated one of those two men for smoke inhalation that he suffered while trying to put the fire out, and he was in hospital in serious but stable condition.

When fire crews arrived they said heavy flames were coming from the garage, but nobody was inside the neighbouring units.

They said had to open up walls in one of the neighbouring rooms to make sure the fire hadn't spread.

Damage is estimated at $300,000 to the building and contents and fire crews said they suspect it was started by a cigarette.

The exact cause is still under investigation.