Teen who died in Orléans group home fire from outside Ottawa
A 16-year-old girl who died in a fire at an Orléans group home wasn't from the Ottawa area, according to the Children's Aid Society of Ottawa.
The agency said the group home is operated by Stepping Stones, a private residential provider licensed by the Ministry of Children and Youth Services. Children from across Ontario can be placed in the homes, the agency said.
"These group homes can be accessed by child welfare authorities across the province. The deceased was a youth placed in this residence from outside of the Ottawa area," said the statement released Monday.
The agency did not say where the girl was originally from.
Fire crews were called to the single-family home in the 1100 block of Old Montreal Road Friday afternoon after reports of smoke and flames.
Firefighters said they found heavy smoke and flames when they arrived at the scene and that all the residents — except the teenager — escaped unharmed.
Team investigating
Dr. Louise McNaughton-Filion, the supervising coroner for Ottawa, said a team of investigators will look at the events that led to the death.
"There's a team approach to this investigation," said McNaughton-Filion.
"We have the Office of the Fire Marshal, the Ottawa Police Service, the forensic pathology service — our eastern Ontario pathology unit — as well as the Office of Chief Coroner and the Centre for Forensic Sciences."
McNaughton-Filion said other agencies could become involved in the investigation as well.
The Children's Aid Society of Ottawa said it will be completing its own assessment.
