Child dies, man now facing first-degree murder charge after Ottawa highrise fire
On Monday, police said the homicide unit took the lead on the file after the death of one of three victims who were in critical condition after the fire.
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A three-year-old child has died and Saeed Osman Mohamed is now facing a first-degree murder charge following a May 2 fire at a Donald Street highrise.
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Child dies, man now facing first-degree murder charge after Ottawa highrise fire Back to video
Karima Moustapha died on Saturday, Ottawa police said in a news release Monday night. It had previously been reported that two children and an adult woman had suffered severe smoke inhalation and other injuries in the fire at 1244 Donald St., one of two buildings known together as Capital Towers.
On Monday, police said the homicide unit took the lead on the file after the death of one of three victims who were in critical condition after the fire.
Mohamed, 42, has also been charged with arson with disregard for human life, two counts of arson causing bodily harm and arson causing property damage.
Police found evidence that accelerants were used to start the fire.
Mohamed remained in custody and was to make an appearance in court Tuesday morning.
Mohamed was on bail at the time of the fire, according to court documents. Court records showed he was released on Jan. 9, five days after being charged with assaulting a woman. The Crown attorney in the case had opposed Mohamed’s release, court records show.
The fire forced more than 200 residents living on the first four floors to evacuate.
Six people were treated on scene and five others were taken to hospital with minor injuries.
The 56 people who live in 16 units on the third floor — where the fire started — are expected to be out of their homes for some time while those units are repaired.
A second fire in the highrise broke out on May 3, with Ottawa fire services stating that the fire was in the bedroom of a unit on building’s sixth floor. That fire was not deemed suspicious.
It was reported on the weekend that members of the community had donated about $22,000 to help support residents of the Donald Street highrise.
With files from Andrew Duffy
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