Apartment fire kills tenant, 93

A fire in a small apartment building on Emperor Avenue in the Carlington area killed an elderly man on Tuesday.

Shortly after 6:30 p.m., Ottawa Fire Service received multiple calls reporting heavy smoke and flames coming from the rear of a building at 1290 Emperor Ave. The fire was declared under control at 6:42.

The building has four apartments, and the fire was contained to one of two upstairs units.

Neighbours say the tenant, Frank Varga, 93, was a beloved fixture in the neighbourhood and had lived in the apartment for more than 40 years. They described him as helpful and friendly, and he was known for the beautiful garden he planted around the Ottawa Community Housing building.

Neighbour Lucienne Larent said she and her husband, Lionel, lived next door to Varga for 34 years. Despite his age, he was fiercely independent and worked hard to keep the building tidy. He suffered a head injury last summer when he fell off a ladder but was soon back at home.

“There is no one like him,” said Lucienne.

“He was like a grandfather around here,” added another neighbour, who declined to be named. “It’s a great loss for the neighbourhood.”

Area residents say tenants in the building had been notified that they would have to leave by February. Two people have been displaced by the fire.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.