Two dead in apartment building fire in Saint-Eustache

Two people lost their lives in a fire in an apartment building in Saint-Eustache, in the Laurentians.

The victims were two adult brothers, whose identities have not yet been released.

The fire broke out in the six-unit building on Corbo Street late Saturday night. The 911 call was received at 11:11 p.m.

“We called in 30 firefighters, including four from neighboring towns, to respond quickly. During the operation, we pulled out two people who were in cardiac arrest. They were taken care of by paramedics and transported to the hospital. We received confirmation this morning that both people had died,” said Sébastien Laplante, director of the Saint-Eustache Fire Department, in an interview with The Canadian Press.

He also confirmed that the fire started in one of the basement apartments, but the victims were found in a second-floor apartment.

All occupants of the building who were on site were evacuated, but it is not yet certain when or if they will be able to return to their homes in the near future. The extent of the damage has yet to be assessed.

“All the residents have been relocated by the Red Cross,” said Laplante, noting that some people were visiting family elsewhere.

The fire was brought under control at 12:30 a.m. and completely extinguished about an hour later.

“There is nothing to suggest that this was a criminal act. To date, we have no information to that effect,” said the Saint-Eustache fire chief.

There will be an investigation by the coroner and the Saint-Eustache Police Department to try to clarify the exact circumstances that led to this tragedy.

–This report by La Presse Canadienne was translated by CityNews