56-year-old man dies in First Line Road fire, family left homeless

A 56-year-old man was pronounced dead in hospital while a local family lost everything but the clothes on their backs during a fire that quickly destroyed a home on First Line Road in Manotick.

Firefighters arrived at the home at about 2:30 a.m. on Sunday, April 2.

Corey Hilliard, his daughter and a guest made it out of the home safely.

The man who lived upstairs was treated by paramedics after firefighters pulled him out of the building. He was transported to hospital where he was declared dead.

Hilliard was interviewed by CBC and said he went to bed at about 2 a.m. after watching a movie. The man upstairs had informed Hilliard that he would be burning some materials upstairs.

He said they were acquaintances as neighbours and even exchanged Christmas gifts, but they did not know each other well.

“There was no calling out [to him],” Hilliard said in the CBC interview about getting out of the house. “The whole house was engulfed. If he was in there, he was in there. No getting him.”

Hilliard realized it was an emergency when he had trouble breathing.

“I just opened some windows and thought everything was great but [came] to find out that the whole house was on fire,” he told CBC. “If it was another half a minute, we probably wouldn’t have made it.

“As soon as I got upstairs, I backed up my car so that it wouldn’t melt.”

Hilliard said he lost everything but the pyjamas and hoodie he was wearing.

Ottawa Fire Chief Paul Hutt extended condolences to the victims on social media.

“The Ottawa Fire Services would like to extend its condolences to the family and friends of the occupant who succumbed to their injuries at this morning’s fire on First Line Rd. Our thoughts are with anyone affected by this tragedy,” Hutt tweeted.

North Gower resident Kelly Belair, a friend of Hilliard, has organized a GoFundMe campaign to help the family get back on their feet.

“I’m extremely grateful to everyone one of you. The amount of love and support I’ve been receiving is crazy. Thank you. I’m humbled,” said Hilliard.