No charges three years after Old Montreal building fire kills seven people

MONTREAL — It’s the three-year anniversary of a building fire in Old Montreal that killed seven people — and there are still no charges.

Both the prosecutor’s office and Montreal police say the criminal investigation is ongoing and they are working to have information for the public as soon as possible.

“This is a very sad event,” said Walid Hijazi, criminal defence lawyer. “Several people lost their lives. There’s a lot of confusion in the public and a feeling that justice has to be served.”

The fire ripped through a heritage building on March 16, 2023, killing seven people, six of whom had been staying in illegal short-term rentals.

For resident Fiona Ham, the tragedy still lingers especially after witnessing a second deadly fire in Old Montreal less than 18 months later. That October 2024 blaze killed a mother and her seven-year-old daughter in another building tied to the same property owner.

“You don’t expect to die in a fire, you don’t expect rooms to be built not according to the code,” said Fiona Ham, President of Old Montreal Residents’ Association.

“I think it’s a bigger issue in Quebec to be able to get answers in a timely manner,” added Ham.

Walid Hijazi says prior bylaw violations, like fire code issues, don’t automatically amount to criminal negligence. He adds the owner has cooperated and taken steps to improve safety since.

“When you go to court and you prosecute someone, you believe that you’re able to show beyond a reasonable doubt that the accused is guilty of the crime he’s being accused of.”

“If he hasn’t been charged, it’s because the police or the prosecution does not believe he is guilty because there’s not enough evidence or they don’t believe he’s guilty,” said Hijazi.

Police have said that traces of an accelerant were found at the scene and could explain how the fire spread so quickly through the building.

“You wonder how is it that that went under the radar? And then it happened again in the second building,” said Ham. “So how is that possible is the question?

Court documents in an unrelated case have identified as a suspect Denis Bégin, who is currently serving a life sentence for a 1993 murder.

The documents from Correctional Service Canada cite Montreal police testimony alleging that Bégin was filmed by a surveillance camera in the area around the building before and after the fire.

While the wait for answers continues, investigators are not up against a deadline.

“In Canada, crimes have no statute of limitations,” said Hijazi. “A crime can be prosecuted several years after the fact.”

CityNews reached out to the SPVM for a statement on the matter – in a response they said:

“We have been working on this matter from the outset in close coordination with the Director of Criminal and Penal Prosecutions (DPCP). At this stage, collaborative efforts remain underway to bring the investigation to its conclusion, with further developments anticipated. 

 […]  As of today, however, we are unable to provide additional information so as not to compromise the integrity of the investigation”

The Director of Criminal and Penal Prosecutions (DPCP) echoed that statement adding that victims’ families are being kept informed. The City of Montreal declined to comment due to ongoing legal processes, but says it continues to review and improve fire prevention and response measures.

“You cannot force a prosecution upon someone just for the stake of public confidence,” said Hijazi. “When you initiate a prosecution, it’s because you believe that suspect is the guilty person and that the evidence is able to establish it beyond a reasonable doubt.”