Montreal police arrest 18-year-old and 20-year-old in fatal Old Montreal fire that killed two on Oct. 4

A week after a fatal fire in an Old Montreal building killed two people, Montreal police (SPVM) say they arrested two suspects Friday in connection to the blaze.

An 18-year-old and 20-year-old were arrested in Saint-Laurent and Mercier-Hochelaga-Maisonneuve. One of them is suspected of setting the fire using an incendiary object and while the other drove the getaway vehicle following the fire.

The suspects remain detained. They’re known to police, but it’s unclear if they are connected to street gangs in any way.

Police are waiting for the crown prosecutor’s office in the next day to know more about the charges they face.

The head of the Major Crimes Section, Cmdr. Jean-Sébastien Caron said at a press conference Friday that “a decision on the charge will be known within the next 24 hours.”

SPVM Inspector David Shane says since last Friday, the SPVM “has been working tirelessly to get to the bottom of this tragedy.” 

“It was important for us to let everybody know fast, to reassure the population of the effectiveness of the Montreal police and its partners in dealing these types of cases,” Shane said. 

Léonor Geraudie, 43, and her seven-year-old daughter Vérane Reynaud-Geraudie died in the blaze in the three-storey building on Notre-Dame Street E. The fire broke out on the first floor at around 2:30 a.m., and quickly spread. One person who survived the fire remains in hospital in critical condition.

Police say the family of the two victims was notified of the arrests.

“They’re they’re pretty happy of that we were able to arrest people,” Caron said. “But for sure this still is very difficult for the family and all the person around the family.”

Security camera footage obtained by Radio-Canada shows a masked person breaking into the building minutes before the fire broke out. But police had previously refused to comment on that – in order to not hinder the investigation.

A restaurant was located on the main floor and a hostel upstairs.

Around 200 police officers were assigned to working this case in the last week.

“The current investigation led by the major crime section with the support of several SPVM units is continuing among other things to identify the mastermind behind this arson,” Caron said.

On Tuesday, Quebec’s chief coroner ordered a public inquiry into the deaths.

Coroner Géhane Kamel will preside over the inquiry into the deaths of the French nationals. Kamel is also presiding over the inquiry into the deaths of seven people in a separate building fire in Old Montreal on March 16, 2023. Both buildings were owned by the same person, Émile-Haim Benamor.

Late Tuesday night, three people aged 17, 19 and 20 were arrested in connection to at least 19 shots being fired at Benamor’s office building near Saint-Antoine Street and Berri Street in the Ville-Marie borough, close to Viger Square.

“We’re not saying he’s targetted personally, this is a criminal investigation,” Shane said, without adding further details.

“The common goal of all the partners is to bring justice to the deceased and other others were directly affected by this fire,” said Shane, adding that anyone with information is asked to contact 911 or Info-Crime anonymously at 514-393-1133.