‘I lost everything’: Major fire at Montreal heritage building
Posted May 26, 2023 12:06 am.
Last Updated May 27, 2023 1:25 pm.
A major fire broke out at a heritage building in downtown Montreal on Thursday afternoon.
No major injuries were reported. An 80-year-old was found inside the building a few hours after the blaze broke out, and was taken to hospital.
“What I can tell you for sure is that primary and secondary searches were done in the entire building,” said fire chief, Richard Liebmann. “The person responsible for the part of the building where the senior is located, confirmed to us that nobody was missing, that we had everybody and this person was found later on on the fourth floor. So we’re going to determine with our investigators and the SPVM how that person came to be inside.”
There are about 38 units where people live and 27 people were taken into the care of the Red Cross.
“We’re extremely confident there are no more people in the building,” Liebmann said. “All searches have been done and the people responsible for the building confirmed to us that nobody has been reported missing.”
‘Lost everything’
Diane Bérubé lived in one of the apartments of the old monastery that houses people 55 and over.
“I lost everything,” she said while outside the building. “I don’t know if it’s from the fire or from the water.”
“I don’t know really if I’m going to be able to recuperate some of my stuff, all the souvenirs,” she added. “I’m the keeper of the family souvenirs, all of the old photos I’ve been telling everybody [about].”
Friday morning, 150 firefighters were still on site at the former Monastère du Bon-Pasteur to fight the five-alarm fire and Sherbrooke was still closed between Clark and Saint-Denis.
The building, built in 1846, is located in the Ville-Marie borough at the corner of Sherbrooke and De Bullion streets.
The Montreal fire department says the blaze occurred a little before 5 p.m. in the attic of the heritage building.
L’incendie continue et le feu semble se propager graduellement dans la toiture. pic.twitter.com/ToXXCNGyAB
— Daniel Béland (@danielbeland) May 25, 2023
At a press conference on Friday morning, Mayor Valérie Plante said the building was restored not long ago and houses a chapel, concert hall, offices for various community organizations and Héritage Montréal.
She said to avoid the area and doing physical activity there due to the air quality.
“I am here with my colleagues and it was very important for us to show our support,” said the mayor alongside the fire chief, Quebec’s culture minister Mathieu Lacombe, Québec solidaire co-spokesperson and MNA for the area Manon Massé, as well as others.
Future of Heritage building uncertain
In an email to CityNews, Dinu Bumbaru, the Policy Director at Héritage Montréal said: “Our team is safe but shocked. Fortunately our neighbours are safe too. A terrible situation which we hope won’t end up in a total loss. It’s a great heritage building, saved thanks to efforts of people like Phyllis Lambert and then repurposed in a way that gave it a new life in and for the community. We received strong and numerous messages of support. Surely our neighbours like the chapel / concert hall and the religious heritage council, got many too. Not to forget the many old people living in the monastery west wing.”
On the scene Friday morning, Anthony Plagnes Payá, Communications officer, for Héritage Montréal said, “after the fire we had today and earlier this year in Old Montreal – it’s a sign we need to protect our heritage buildings, we need to take care of them.”
“It’s a building we can trace back to 1840 it has a great history particularly for women communities.”
“The fact that the fire was all night says a lot. The tower is really damaged, the roof as well, it’s probably a lot of damage,” added Payá.
“My heart’s breaking, when I think about that, that’s the worst,” said Bérubé. “But everybody came out unharmed, so that’s good.”
The mayor said the priority will be for those affected to find a place to live and eventually rebuilding.
“I’m really confident, like in Paris, they were able to rebuild, so I’m sure we can do the same here,” Plante said.
Ce soir une fumée intense s’échappe toujours de l’ancien Monastère du Bon-Secours et les efforts des pompiers se poursuivront vraisemblablement toute la nuit. On en saura sans doute plus sur l’étendue des dégâts demain. Une situation particulièrement difficile pour les évacués. pic.twitter.com/dIGVDS5S0R
— Daniel Béland (@danielbeland) May 26, 2023
— Jean Pierre Pierre (@JayPMTL) May 26, 2023
