Montreal downtown high rise evacuated after fire
Posted January 9, 2026 9:17 am.
Last Updated January 9, 2026 11:59 am.
Place Ville-Marie, a high rise in downtown Montreal, was evacuated due to a fire Thursday evening.
Firefighters (SIM) responded to a two-alarm fire around 5:15 p.m. on the 43rd floor of the building located at Cathcart Street and Robert-Bourassa Boulevard.
“The fire broke out in the 43rd-floor mechanical room, specifically in a ventilation duct,” said Alain Laflamme, chief of SIM’s section 171, in an email to CityNews.
“The activation of the Place Ville-Marie fire alarm system quickly allowed for the evacuation of the building, and upon the firefighters’ arrival, the occupants were busy evacuating the building via the stairwells.”
SIM said that the fire was brought under control around 6:50 p.m. A crew of over 100 firefighters and 30 vehicles were sent to scene.
No injuries were reported. The mechanical room on the 43rd floor sustained damage. No other damages were reported.
The cause of the fire hasn’t yet been determined.
— Khaled Murywed (@khalmur) January 8, 2026
