Woman, 61, dies in Ottawa fire
Man, 45, dies in separate weekend blaze
Last Updated: Monday, November 9, 2009 | 8:21 AM ET
CBC News
It took firefighters about 45 minutes to put out the fire in the bedroom of a second-floor apartment at the shelter, shown here on Monday morning. (Chad Pawson/CBC)A 61-year-old woman has died after being pulled from a blaze at a supportive housing facility for women who had previously been homeless.
Firefighters found the woman amid "heavy fire" in a second-floor apartment after being called to the Cornerstone women's shelter on MacLaren Street near Lyon Street around 10 p.m. Sunday night, said Ottawa Fire Services platoon chief Larry King on Monday.
She was pulled from the apartment, but later pronounced dead.
Firefighters managed to extinguish a fire in the bedroom within 45 minutes, King reported.
The Cornerstone is an organization run by the Anglican Church in Ottawa that provides emergency shelter and supportive housing for homeless women. It recently celebrated its 25th anniversary.
House fire in west end
The shelter fire was the weekend's second fatal fire. A 45-year-old man died after being carried by firefighters from a blaze at a social housing complex on Penny Drive in the Bayshore Area shortly after midnight on Saturday.
Firefighters said the fire started in a second-floor bedroom and spread to the roof.
As of Monday morning, the Ontario fire marshal's office was investigating both fires.
