Canada - 2 dead, 1 in critical condition as major fire burns in Old Montreal

[Happypetitvieux01]

2 dead, 1 in critical condition as major fire burns in Old Montreal

"A major fire burning in Old Montreal has left two people dead and one person in critical condition, according to Radio-Canada.

Montreal police have opened an investigation into the fire, which started around 2 a.m. in a three-storey building at the corner of Notre-Dame and Bonsecours streets.

Police say the fire may be suspicious in nature."
...
"Municipal tax records show the owner of the building is Émile-Haim Benamor, who also owned the building on Place D'Youville in Old Montreal where seven people died in March 2023. The restaurant located on the main floor of the building is owned by another person."
...
"A hostel called Le 402 is located on the second and third floors of the building. Photos of the hostel on booking websites show exposed brick walls, a shared lounge and rooms with a city view.

Some comments, however, describe the accommodations as crammed and rundown. Multiple reviewers also report bedrooms without windows or windows that wouldn't open."

BBM

 

[dotr]

Updated: Police don't yet know how many people died in Old Montreal fire

The fire broke out around 2:40 a.m. in a three-storey building on Notre Dame St. near Bonsecours St.

montrealgazette.com

• Oct 04, 2024 • Last updated 9 minutes ago

2 dead, 1 in critical condition as major fire burns in Old Montreal | RCI

Radio-Canada reporting deaths as fire continues to burn in building on Notre-Dame Street

ici.radio-canada.ca

''Police say the fire may be suspicious in nature.
Jonathan Michaud of the Montreal fire department said the fire broke out on the main floor where a restaurant is located. He said the fire spread quickly.
The fire department has sent about 125 firefighters and 50 trucks to the scene.''

 

[Warwick1991]

I can't believe the same landlord is the owner of another building with what sounds like multiple code violations, resulting in yet another deadly fire. All his properties should be inspected.

 

[Happypetitvieux01]

Masked person seen breaking into Old Montreal building minutes before deadly fire

"Police say the fire, which started around 2 a.m. in the building at the corner of Notre-Dame and Bonsecours streets, is suspicious in nature. Security camera footage obtained by Radio-Canada shows a person breaking into the building minutes before the fire broke out."
...
"At a news conference Friday afternoon, police said they could not confirm the number of deaths as investigators didn't yet have access to the scene. Police said earlier that one person was in critical condition.

"Some fatalities are unfortunately expected," said Montreal police Insp. David Shane, adding police could also not yet confirm the number of people inside the building at the time of the fire."
...
"Martin Guilbault, a division chief with the Montreal fire department, told reporters that fire inspectors had visited the building in the spring of 2023 and had found an absence of fire alarms and smoke detectors, but on a new visit in the spring of 2024, those issues had been fixed.

"The building was compliant, according to our information," he said. However, he specified that inspectors had visited the address of the restaurant inside the building, but did not say if the inspection also included the hostel upstairs."

 

[Happypetitvieux01]

(Translated from Journal La Presse, October 4 2024)
Une auberge de jeunesse avec des chambres sans fenêtre
A hostel with windowless rooms

"The building that was engulfed in flames in Old Montreal on Thursday night housed a 19-room youth hostel on the upper floors, where several visitors reported staying in rooms without windows."
...
"The hostel is the subject of a very large amount of negative reviews on the rental booking platform. com, on the Expedia website and on Google."
...
"La Presse has counted about twenty guests of the inn who deplore having been housed in a room with no windows leading to the outside.

This is the case of Claudit Bilodeau, a resident of Chibougamau who stayed there for one night a month ago. "My room was like a broom closet where a bed had been placed," she said in a phone interview.

There were no windows to the outside, only a window to the common room, covered by a curtain. "The curtain fell several times, even during the night," she says. She had shared photos of the hostel on Facebook protesting against the uncleanliness of the place."

 

[dotr]