Large Stittsville Main Street fire caused by electrical failure

The fire department says a fire that caused nearly half a million dollars in damage to a building on Stittsville Main Street on Monday was caused by an electrical failure in an attic.

The fire in the two-storey building at 1518 Stittsville Main St. caused heavy smoke and forced neighbouring buildings to be evacuated.

The electrical failure happened in the southwest corner of an attic, the fire department said.

The fire broke out just minutes before noon. Fire officials said off-duty firefighters noticed smoke coming from the building and called 911 before helping someone who had been sleeping get out of one of the upstairs apartments.

Firefighters were later forced the evacuate the building, which includes a pub and a dental office, and fight the fire from the outside.

No one was hurt.

Stittsville Main Street was closed between Elm Crescent and Abbott Street for hours.

Damage is estimated at $400,000 to the building and $90,000 to its contents.