Crews battle new garbage fire at Rochester St. highrise

Firefighters were called to an Ottawa Community Housing building that's already the subject of an arson investigation after a small fire broke out in a garbage room overnight.

At around 4:20 a.m., alarms went off at 280 Rochester St., said Ottawa Fire Services. Someone then called, reporting a smoky odour on the 18th floor, fire officials said.

Crews declared a working fire in one of the building's garbage rooms and were able to bring the fire under control by 4:45 a.m., said the fire service.

Tenants were able to return to their rooms shortly afterwards, officials said.

The early Sunday morning fire is now the seventh garbage fire in four months at the Centretown community housing building.

Residents of the building have told CBC News the repeated fires have them fearing for their safety.

Both the fire department and Ottawa police have been investigating.