1 missing, 9 hospitalized after 5-alarm fire in Old Montreal
Posted March 16, 2023 9:30 am.
Last Updated March 17, 2023 11:52 am.
Montreal firefighters are on the scene where at least one person is missing and nine were hospitalized after a five-alarm fire in Old Montreal Thursday.
A spokesperson for the department said engineers will evaluate the building Friday to determine whether it is safe for firefighters to enter the building to continue their investigation.
None of those who were hospitalized are considered in life-threatening condition, though there were three people with injuries deemed more serious.
They sustained burns to their hands and faces, a fire department spokesperson said on Thursday. Two others were evaluated on the scene by paramedics.
The blaze broke out at around 5:45 a.m. on Thursday in a three-storey condo building on Du Port street near Place d’Youville.
More than 120 firefighters were on the scene. They managed to get the blaze under control at around 9 a.m.
Six people needed to be rescued with ladders.
Fire officials confirmed they were looking for at least one person who was unaccounted for after someone who knew them came to the scene to inquire about their whereabouts.
Patrick Fournel, a fire operations chief, says Montreal police are aiding fire department to track the person down, and firefighters used an infrared camera to search the building and need to ensure it is stable before searching further.
Power was cut in the area Thursday as firefighters fought the blaze. Power was slowly being restored after 9 a.m.
Un important incendie est actuellement en cours dans le secteur du Vieux-Montréal.
Les représentants médias du Service de sécurité incendie de Montréal (SIM) sont disponibles pour répondre aux questions des médias à l’angle de la rue Saint-Nicolas et de la Place D’Youville
— Sécurité incendieMTL (@MTL_SIM) March 16, 2023
—With files from The Canadian Press
