Two people have died after a major fire ripped through a century-old building in Old Montreal on Friday morning, sources with Montreal police say.
Montreal police said several 911 calls were made around 2:40 a.m. about the blaze on Notre-Dame Street East near Bonsecours Street.
The fire started inside the ground-level restaurant, according to officials. The flames quickly climbed the three-storey building, forcing the evacuation of at least two people and sending one person to hospital with severe burns.
The second and third floors of the building are home to short-term rental apartments.
More than 125 firefighters were called to extinguish the five-alarm fire, the most serious kind.
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“Firefighters are still working to extinguish the blaze, making it impossible to get inside,” said police spokesperson Manuel Couture.
A major building fire in Old Montreal resulted in fire crews battling the blaze for hours Friday morning.
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A section of the structure partially collapsed during the fire, according to officials.
The cause of the fire is not yet known, but police have taken over the investigation because the blaze is considered suspicious. A security perimetre was set up in the area and police will have a command post on site.
City of Montreal property records say the Notre-Dame Street East building was constructed in 1923 and is owned by Emile Benamor. He is also listed as the owner of a heritage building nearby that was ravaged by fire in March 2023, leading to the deaths of seven people.
Meanwhile, Montreal’s public health department warned residents in the area about bad air quality from the fire. Anyone with symptoms was urged to call 811.
— with files from The Canadian Press
© 2024 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.
