Ottawa medical centre fire triggers arson investigation

Ottawa firefighters say the investigation into a fire at a medical centre east of downtown Thursday morning has been turned over to police.

Firefighters were called to the St. Laurent Medical Centre around 4:10 a.m., according to a news release.

There was smoke and flames at the back of the building when they arrived and they were able to mostly limit damage to its outside, with the added challenge that flames wereclose to a gas meter.

The fire was deemed under control around 4:55 a.m.Nobody was injured.

Just after 8 a.m., an Ottawa Fire Services spokesperson told Radio-Canada it was considered a criminal fire and the investigation had been turned over to police. Ottawa police haven't put out any information yet.

The centre on St. Laurent Boulevard near Donald Street hosts a walk-in clinic, a team of family doctors, a pharmacy and skin-care services, according to its website.

It's not immediately clear if and how those services are affected by the fire.

Ottawa police are also investigating two suspicious fires nearby early Wednesday morning: a little over a kilometre away from the medical centre on Irwin Miller Street and about two kilometres away on Jeanne-Mance Street.