Police investigating after body discovered at east end fire

Ottawa police are maintaining a strong presence at a bungalow in the east end after a person was found dead following a residential fire on Tuesday evening. Although police noted there were "no obvious signs of criminality," they are assisting fire investigators in determining the cause of the fire and the victim's death.

Authorities were first called to the scene on Tuesday evening. On Wednesday, investigators wearing biohazard suits re-entered the home on Clarke Avenue around 11:15 a.m.

Greg Wilson, a sergeant with Ottawa Police’s arson unit, informed reporters that the police are collaborating with the fire department, the office of the fire marshal, and the province’s chief coroner.

He mentioned that the death did not seem suspicious and is being treated as a sudden death. "But because a fire was involved, the arson unit will assist in the parallel investigation into the death and act as agents for the coroner," he said.

When questioned about whether the fire might have been criminal or suspicious, Wilson responded that the cause is currently "undetermined," though early investigations suggest "no obvious signs of criminality."

The fire marshal is leading the investigation into the fire’s origin and cause.

Wilson also noted that the fire was contained within the home and did not break through the windows, with no damage to the roof or exterior. However, there was some "substantial" damage inside the home.

There were no 911 calls reporting a fire at the residence, and no visible signs of fire outside, leading to the possibility that the fire "was likely put out by itself or by someone."

The investigation is expected to be extensive, and Wilson declined to provide further details as it is ongoing. He confirmed that the deceased's body remained inside the home as of Wednesday afternoon.

"It will take time to complete this investigation," he said. "It's meticulous work. We take our time, we're thorough, and it's crucial to determine what happened."

Police initially responded to the scene around 8:20 p.m. on Tuesday, where one person was found dead. The identity of the victim has not yet been released.

Ottawa Fire Services were first called to the scene, but according to department spokesperson Nick DeFazio, "there was no fire," and the OFS subsequently left. The Ottawa Paramedic Service was also present but was not required to provide services.