Ottawa police are hoping to track down a person of interest seen leaving the area of a suspicious early morning fire in Vanier.

Police and firefighters were called to 227 Granville St., between Shakespeare and Montfort streets just north of Montreal Road, at about 1:20 a.m. Tuesday.

Part of a fence had been set alight.

It happened just days after someone threw a flaming rag onto some steps near the same fence, according to Sgt. David Christie of the Ottawa police arson unit. The Saturday incident caused only minor damage and wasn't reported until Tuesday's incident.

Christine Ethier, who lives next door, said she woke up to the sound of flames crackling early Tuesday, then looked out her second-storey window to see flames rising high above the fence.

Someone appears to have thrown a flaming rag onto these steps at 227 Granville St. on Saturday, Aug. 5. The incident caused only minor damage and wasn't reported until after another arson days later at the same address. (Kristy Nease/CBC)

'I was very afraid'

"I was very afraid so I went out.... My car was there, so I backed it out," she said.

The neighbour living behind Ethier's home used his garden hose to fight the flames until firefighters arrived. No one was injured.

The Tuesday morning incident, as well as seven other unsolved arsons in the Vanier area, have Ethier on edge.

"Yesterday night I went early to bed around 9 o'clock, and sometimes I heard something and went to my window and checked," she said.

"Before it was very quiet. Now, out front there, people are very noisy."

Witnesses reported seeing a male leaving the area on a bicycle, and investigators would like to speak to him, police said.

The arson unit is investigating. Anyone with information is asked to call the unit at 613-236-1222, ext. 3770. Anonymous tips can be submitted by calling Crime Stoppers toll-free at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS).