The Ottawa police arson unit has taken over the investigation into a heavy fire that ripped through Holland Avenue’s Allium Restaurant early Friday, the local fire department confirmed shortly after 10 a.m.

No one was injured in the fire, Ottawa Fire Services spokesperson Danielle Cardinal said. The blaze temporarily displaced one woman and one child.

Ottawa police say crews have reopened a section of Holland Avenue they closed to traffic Friday morning.

A neighbour who called 911 at 2:38 a.m. reported hearing a “big bang” and seeing flames at the back of the two-storey restaurant, according to a news release from the fire department. First responders on scene declared a working fire minutes later.

The heavy flames and the freezing temperatures posed challenges to fire crews as they tried to contain the blaze, Cardinal said.

“Firefighters had heavy conditions on arrival,” according to a tweet posted by Ottawa Fire Services photographer Scott Stilborn shortly before 4 a.m. “Command has pulled all crews out and ordered defensive operations.”

A “heavy” fire struck Holland Avenue’s Allium Restaurant early on Friday morning. Firefighters battled the blaze defensively from outside the two-storey building.

The Salvation Army, the Red Cross and an OC Transpo bus were all dispatched to the area just west of Ottawa’s downtown core to support fire crews and individuals affected.

Jeff Leiper, city councillor for the area, tweeted Friday morning he was “very sorry” to hear of the fire and was glad to hear no one was injured in the incident.

“Allium Restaurant is an anchor in our community,” Leiper wrote. “Thanks to [Ottawa Fire Services] for their work, and my best wishes to [Allium] for a quick recovery.”

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