Ottawa Police's major crimes unit is investigating an early-morning fight downtown that sent a man to hospital in critical condition.

In January a man was stabbed to death outside Studio bar. (CBC)

Paramedics and police said the 24-year-old man was found unconscious when they were called to the 100 block of Rideau Street at Dalhousie Street at about 2:30 a.m. Monday morning.

The man was lying in the street in front of the Studio Nightclub on Rideau Street at Dalhousie.

He remained unconscious en route to hospital.

Fight outside bar

A police source told CBC News a passerby called them after seeing about 10 people in a fight outside the bar.

The storefront window of the adjacent Rideau Colour photo and cell store was also smashed in, though it's not clear if it happened during the altercation.

The owner of Rideau Colour, Farhad Uddin, said the clubs in the area have brought problems for other stores.

"It's a pretty good area but ever since all these new clubs been opening up there's always been an incident going on especially my business," said Uddin.

2nd incident this year near club

"Within this last year I've had my glass shattered left or right at least five times."

It is the second major incident near the bar this year.

On January 22, 24-year-old Navid Niran was fatally stabbed after visiting the same nightclub.

Ahmed Hafizi, 18, was charged with first-degree murder in that incident.